I remember it well
by Miyasawaex-Moonlight
Summary: Post season finale. "Who are you?" His brown eyes gazed at hers intently, and Brennan smiled a bit. " This is not funny, Booth." His face remained blank. And she suddenly realized he wasn't joking at all.
1. Chapter 1

A.N: Last time I checked, Bones still wasn't mine.

So… I know that everybody is now writing post season finale fictions, and we'll probably get all tired of this subject after a while, specially because some stories inevitably will be much alike. But hey, I want to give it a shot! In my defense, I'm planning this very carefully, and there will be a different approach regarding Booth's memory. I've became familiar with a very nice medical condition that should make us have a little fun…

Plus, I refuse to classify this story as drama, simply because I don't see Bones as a dark show, ever. Even in the sad and dramatic moments, Booth and Bones manage to lighten things somehow, at least that's the way I see in the show. So, yes, sometimes things will be down…but it's Booth and Bones, people! _They are not a dark duo._ Neither the team, for that matter. So… let's see how this goes!

CHAPTER 1- WAKING UP

"_Who are you?" _

Panic tried to rise at his words, but she fought it back, staring at his Brown eyes, the ones that she was longing to see open for 4 long days. Booth stared back at her, and Brennan let out a small smile. He was there, he was awake, and she blinked the tears away.

" This is not funny, ok, Booth? You already had given us quite a fright on the past days." She realized that her voice was unsteady, but she couldn't do anything about it. His eyebrows furrowed in pure confusion, and again, the panic menaced to surface. His face was blank as he watched her carefully, and Temperance felt her throat go dry.

" I'm not kidding. Why would I be? Seriously, Who are you?" Booth scrunched his face at the beautiful woman curved at him, uneasiness taking all places of his mind. There was something…odd about her. Almost _familiar._ Yet, he couldn't place anything. Her name, why she was there… hell, _he didn't even know why HE was there._ He could feel his hands start to go cold and his heart racing, and soon enough the monitors that were connected to him started to show it. Her first words when he woke up suddenly came to his memory, and Booth gave her a look of pure shock and anguish. " You said that I've been in a coma?"

Temperance looked at his cardiac monitors, quickly realizing that his heart frequency, as long as his blood pressure , were increasing._ Not good._ She took a deep, long calming breathe._ This isn't about you or your fears right now, Temperance. It's all about Booth. He must be much more scared than you for now._ She managed to keep her voice even this time, speaking softly as she pressed the nurse calling buttom.

" That is correct. You had a bad reaction to anesthesia, and fell into a coma right after your surgery. Do you remember your surgery, Booth?" His eyes were now wide open as he heard her words, and she could tell just by this that he had no a idea of what she was talking about. She approached him gingerly, taking his hand in hers gently. " You were diagnosed with a brain tumor after you presented some symptoms, hallucinating, to be more accurate. I took you to a doctor, and the MIR that he asked showed a mass. But it's all taken care now."

Booth looked at that delicate hand squeezing his, and once again, despite his lack of any remembrance of her name, there was the sense of familiarity, intimacy even. It soothed him somewhat, but still he was scared beyond belief.

" _I have brain cancer?_" He practically whispered, afraid of the very sound of his words. Cancer. Brain. But the woman was fast to respond, her hand squeezing his again.

" No, no. No cancer. It was a benign tumor, called epidermal tumor. Once it was removed, you were cured. You just had symptoms because it was big enough to compress parts of your brain." As she spoke, the room's door opened, and a nurse finally appeared, a smile already forming in her lips.

" Oh, good. You are finally awake, Mr. Booth." The nurse nodded to Temperance, and Booth was fast to catch their little interaction. Apparently, they knew each other. The nurse looked at his monitors and a small frown appeared on her forehead. " Now, why this heart of yours is going so fast? And this blood pressure?"

" He's experimenting some king of amnesia. He doesn't seem to remember his surgery. He doesn't know who I am." Brennan was careful not to let her hurt show in her voice. She knew that it was a usual reaction for patients that suffered major surgery, specially a brain one. Plus, he was in a coma. She knew that it was more than normal for him to experience some confusion after all this. But that didn't mean that she wasn't scared to death, even if her rational part kept telling that it was ridiculous. But then again, fear wasn't rational. The nurse shot her an understanding look, at the same time patting Booth's shoulder.

" Well, there's no reason to be fretting about it, Mr. Booth. It's very normal to neurological patients to experience some kind of amnesia and confusion after a procedure. You just try to calm down and give your heart a rest, will you? I'll go find your doctor right away. Dr. Brennan, try to keep him calm." Booth watched the woman holding his hand nod with resolution, while the nurse quickly disappeared through the door.

" Dr. Brennan? Is that you?" He looked like a lost little boy, his chocolate eyes searching for hers, as if asking for reassurance. She felt her heart tighten in her chest at his question, but nodded slowly.

" Yes. Dr. Temperance Brennan. I'm not a MD, though. I'm a forensic anthropologist." _But you know all that,_ she wanted to add.

" A _squint?_" He asked in some kind of awe, at the same time that something stirred back in his mind. Her voice came muffled somewhere inside him, but he could hear. -_Anthropologically speaking…-_ He suddenly winced in pain. Apparently, his brain wasn't ready to much effort, and complained as he tried to squeeze it. She seemed to realize the exact moment that the pain came, but couldn't help a small smile that crept in her mouth. _He called her a squint. He was there ,somewhere, somehow._

" Do not try to push your brain right now, Booth. It will do you no good. And try to relax,ok?" She watched his monitors again, his pressure still increasing dangerously.

" I don't know how to relax. _I can't remember anything._ I can't remember how I've gotten here in the first place. You tell me that I had a brain tumor. That I was in a coma. And …" He looked at her in pure shame. " I fell like a horrible person,'cause I can't remember you. I mean… you obviously care about me. You were the one here when I woke up, which means that we must be close. The nurse nodded to you, and that indicates that you are here for probably sometime, time enough to know the medical staff. _And I don't remember.I'm so sorry."_ He stared at her in despair, and despite all her self control, Temperance felt her eyes welling up with tears. Despite everything, despite his own condition, he was apologizing to her, as if it was his fault. Even without remembering things, he still tried to take care of her. He still worried about her. And that was when she realized that he was the same. He was Seeley Booth, the caring, protective fair man of always. That alone made her feel suddenly warm. _Some things never change._

" Booth. Look at me. Just hear me a little,ok?" She waited until his eyes were locked with hers, and then continued speaking, softly, gently. The exact way that she knew he would talk to her otherwise. " It's ok. Just because you don't remember me _now,_ it doesn't mean that I don't know that you care about me. I've been with you long enough to know better than this. You heard the nurse, and I reiterate. It's perfectly normal to experience some memory loss after what you've been through. It's usually a temporary thing. You just have to be a little patient, and give your self some rest. I'm sure you'll remember things in due time." She was telling the true. It _had _to be. If that God in what Booth believed so fervently existed, He wouldn't leave anything bad happen to him, right? For the first time in her life, part of her wished she shared his faith in something so intangible as God.

" How can you be so sure?" Once again, he felt the familiarity sensation taking over him. There was something in their current status that made a sudden siren turn on his mind. A flash of himself lying in another hospital bed, and that woman called Temperance was with him, a big curative over her forehead. She was nicely dressed, and she was leaving him. He felt his chest tighten strangely at that vision, feeling the sadness as she started leaving the room. He tried to distract himself by watching TV, flicking through the channels until settling in a old movie. And then, out of nowhere, she was back, a shy smile in her face, and he remembered the happiness that took over him as she seated by his side and told him that she had cancelled her…_date? " Wow."_

She watched as his face became suddenly alert, while his eyes seemed to go very far away, and then he was looking at her with amazement.

" I know…I know that I know you. You had been with me in the hospital another time, haven't you? I saw it. Right now." This time, he was the one to squeeze her hand, and for a second, Brennan was afraid that she would might loose it. She had been in a controlled state of panic since the day they've discovered his tumor. She kept compartimentalizing. She tried to live one day after the other, because she knew she had to remain strong and well for him. But she was still human. And she missed him so much.

" Yes, I have been with you. You did the same for me in other times. We take care of each other."

" Do you think that this means that I'm going to remember? I saw you, past tense, though I can't say where, or what was going on. But it has to mean something, right?" She didn't have time to answer, for the door opened again and this time, dr. Irving, Booth's neurologist, barged in.

" Well, agent Booth. Finally awake, huh? Welcome back." He smiled at Temperance. " Dr. Brennan. Here, as always." Booth felt a strange happiness by that statement. " So… how are we doing? Nurse Collins said something about you being a little confused?" He also watched his monitors, at the same time writing something at Booth's chart.

" If by confused you mean in a total loss, then yes, you've got it right." He spoke flatly, suddenly angry. What the hell was wrong with him? If he was already cured from the damn tumor, why couldn't he just have his memories back? Dr. Irving looked at his patient and then at Brennan.

" he doesn't remember anything that happened. He doesn't know who I am." An icy fear was starting to form in her mind again. Because now that the doctor was there, it was true time. They would see exactly the extent of Booth's strange amnesia.

" Well, I'm sure that you had explained to Mr. Booth that it's a normal reaction. Sometimes the brain play tricks after being submitted to an aggressive approach. Let's just go slowly and see exactly what is going on here, shall we?" Both Booth and Brennan agreed gingerly, their hands now fiercely entwined. " Ok. I'm just going to ask you a few questions. You just go talking about anything you remember, about your life, about your self. Can you tell me your name?" Booth sighed deeply.

" Seeley Booth."

" Good. Do you have a job, Mr. Booth?" He looked at temperance, and she gave him an encouraging smile.

" Yes. I work for the FBI. At the homicide division?" he half stated,half asked, gaining another smile from the woman.

" Good again. What about your family? What can you tell me about it?"

" I have a younger brother, Jared. Both my parents are alive. And I have… I have a son. His name is Parker." Booth's face literally lit up by the mention of his boy, and Brennan felt herself relaxing a little. It wasn't that bad. Surely, it was just a simple case of post medication short amnesia. In no time, he would be bickering with her as always, calling her by her name and pestering her and the doctor to be discharged. And that was when she suddenly felt her smile freeze as he kept talking. " He's great. Just started to speak everything." He felt her hand tense upon his, and looked up to see her face go strangely pale, and she turned to the doctor giving him an odd look. " What?" Again, his heart started beating like crazy. What did he said wrong?

" Agent Booth…how old is your son now?" The doctor's voice was calm, and the woman called Brennan had now a poker face. Yet, he could feel her tension. He had always been good into reading people, that he still remembered about himself.

" He's about to become two." Temperance couldn't stop the deep insharp of air that her lungs ordered. Now, panic was a real emotion.

" ok, Mr. Booth. Let's move on. What can you tell me about…" he interrupted the doctor, his head starting to pound, his breathing becoming fast.

" No. Wait. _I said something wrong._ What was it? Right when I was speaking about Parker. About his age." _Dear Lord. What's going on here?_ He could see tears menacing to fall of her blue eyes. " _Oh my God. I forgot, didn't I? He's not two, isn't it? He's not two anymore._" The machines connected to him started beeping, and dr. Irving immediately called for the nurse.

" We'll stop for now, Mr. Booth. Your blood pressure is getting too high. We can do this later."

"_NO!_ Just… just tell me. How old is Parker? Tell me. _Please."_ The nurse had already entered the room, and seemed to be preparing some meds at the dr. orders. He shot Brennan a pleading, urgent look, and she gazed at dr. Irving, as if asking for permission.

" Go ahead. He'll have to know eventually. But I'm sedating you after this, mr. Booth. You have to relax. It's very dangerous to present this blood pressure in your condition. And please, note that your mind is still very confused, so this error in your memory right now may not mean anything. You migh as well wake up after this sedation remembering every tyni detail of your life." The nurse was already inserting something in his IV, and Booth looked at the woman.

" _Please." _She pursed her lips and increased the grip in his hand, at the same time caressing his face with her other hand.

" Parker has just turned seven, Booth."

TBC…

So… tell me if I should keep going. Next chapter you'll know better about Booth's condition, and expect a great twist. Just like I've written, the brain can be very tricky… specially when it comes about amnesia. And I'm telling you as the trained MD that I am !


	2. Chapter 2

A.N : Nope, still don´t own Bones…sigh…

Thank you so much for your reviews..I mean, wow! So many to just one chapter! So, I´ve been really happy and proud, for if I got so many reviews, it means that I´m going on the right path here. Please, keep them coming. Yours opinion only helps me to improve the story. So, why don´t we try to double the number of reviews? We´re on 27…shall we go to at least 54? ( By the way, you should see the puppy eyes I´m , performing right now, LoL). So… if you reviewed the first chapter…do it again at number two! And if´s the first time you´re reading this fiction, give your contribution, please!

Again, thank you for the amazing feedback. I hope you keep enjoying this!

CHAPTER 2- TORPOR

Brennan stood still on her seat, studying carefully the sleeping face of her partner and best friend. Even in a sedated sleep, he looked troubled. She closed her eyes, the look of pure horror and despair in his face after she revealed Parker´s actual age haunting her. She could hear dr. Irving´s voice talking to him, asking for Booth to calm down, to stop speaking and just close his eyes. She could also hear the awful noise of his cardiac monitor, beeping like crazy, and she dared not to look at it´s numbers. His heart must have been a mess, in all ways. She knew that it was a silly assumption , scientifically speaking, to say that someone was heart broken, for the heart was actually just an organ made of muscle, a strong bomb to send the blood all over the body. The heart could not feel a thing. But right now, she felt that the heart broken expression suited the situation very well. For both of them. Booth, she could only imagine what he must had felt by realizing that he had forgotten five years of his life. She only knew for sure what she was feeling, and it was fierce and horrible. It felt as her chest was about to explode. In his remembrance, she had never existed in his life. As far as he was concerned, she was a complete unknown person.

And still, Temperance didn´t let the tears to fall freely. Because she honestly felt that, once she started, she wouldn´t be able to stop, and what good it could be for Booth? She had to remain strong, for them._ They were still a team._ So, she kept clinging at dr. Irving´s soothing words as her partner drifted in sleep, hoping that the neurologist was right.

" _Forgetting these five years doesn´t necessarily tells us that it´s serious, dr. Brennan. Yes, he appears to be suffering of retrograde amnesia, meaning that he can´t remember facts before the surgery, specially the most recent things. I know that five years seems a lot, but there´s no exact gape of time to be diagnosed. I´ve had plenty patients that had the same problems and came back a while after with a memory better than both of ours. I will perform an MIR while he´s asleep to be sure there isn´t an actual lesion on his brain. But it´s just for safety, I truly don´t think his brain is damaged. He didn´t have a major skull trauma , like hitting his head or bleeding, for instance, and though his surgery was delicate, we managed to take all the tumor without need of taking any part of brain tissue. I think his brain is just in a kind of…stupor, if I can use this word. The way we stay after major trauma, or strong physical activity. Let´s say that´s what happened to his brain, a lot of exercise. And now, it´s so tired that entered in torpor. All it needs is time to rest and take over it´s correct functions, his memory included."_

She had told the doctor about his small flash of memory, the one that she remembered so was the first time she truly realized how much she enjoyed hid company, well enough to call off a good date._ And he remembered too, in some way._ She had also asked the million dollar question, if he would really be able to recover from his state, and for how long he would stay like that. To her surprise, she had found herself _praying silently_ while hearing the doctor´s veredict.

" _If agent Booth already had a remembrance, it only makes me feel more secure that yes, he will remember everything. I can´t say with a hundred per cent sure, for, as you must know, there´s no hundred per cent in medicine. There isn´t also never or always. But I fell very comfortable to say that I have 99,9% that in due time, he will recover completely, without any trace of any kind of amnesia. As for the time for this to happen, I would be highly unprofessional and unwise to say a precise date. Most cases similar to agent Booth lasts for only days or weeks. Rarely, months. I know that you are probably thinking about cases that we hear of people which lost their memories for years, or never get them back. But most of this people suffered mechanic trauma, had cerebral death or brain substance loss. None of these is Booth´s case. You just have to be patient with him, and more importantly, keep him calm. What´s most worrying me about his condition is his blood pressure. It would take a few time to go back to normal anyway, but he´s making it worst with all this agitation. Try to help him in whatever way you can. If he asks you questions about the past, answer, but do not give him many details ,just the basics. It will help him to have some directions, like a trigger, and it will be at the same time stimuli for him to remember everything you will be telling. Try to give him a familiar environment. He should be released in a few days. If his memory is not back by then, I´ll give you further information as how to help him out of the hospital."_

She had asked the doctor about Booth´s friends. About her team, _his squints._ They were all worried and eager to see him, and she wanted to tell them that Booth had wakened up. Dr. Irving was gentle, but firm. She could call his friends and tell them what had happened, that Booth was out of the coma._ But no visits for now._ He needed time to himself, and it could be too dangerous, in his state, to bring many people for him to see, people that, for now, were not familiar anymore. So, temperance made the call, talking in a monotony voice to Angela, giving her the news and asking her to tell the others. She honestly didn´t think she could do all the phone calls. She also hung up as quickly as she could, not wanting to enter into a deep conversation about this, not even with Ange. If she kept repeating what was happening over and over again, she was bound to break down. And she couldn´t afford that. Half an hour later, Booth was brought back to his room after his MRI, and at least dr. Inrving prediction´s were right. There were no brain lesions. So, now, there she was again, seated by his side, watching his sleep, while suddenly all the good times they had together kept passing like a movie in her head. _She needed him back, and she was no longer ashamed to admit so._

Booth was dreaming. He knew that, because he was floating as watching a very odd scene happen bellow him. It was a funeral. He was shocked to realize that it was, in fact, _his funeral._ But it was strange, because he could see himself there, standing, wearing an uniform, hidden in the shadows. A woman was talking on his behalf, and she also seemed somewhat familiar. As some of the people listening carefully her words. He located the woman called temperance there, looking absolutely furious with the speech, her voice loud telling that she would have take the bullet happily. _This is so weird._ The funeral kept going, and he moved, his attention in a man moving slowly. All of a sudden, he was over him, and they were struggling, until Temperance put an end to that by hitting the man with something. When he smiled at her and complimented her move, he was more than surprised to see the fury in her eyes. And in less than a minute, he was in the floor, her punch hard and well positioned to his face.

He opened his eyes with a start, his hand actually moving to his face to feel his jaw. Despite it was a dream, it seemed so…_vivid. As it had really happened._ His jaw was just fine, and he concentrated at looking around him, meeting bright blue eyes immediately.

" Hey." Her voice was careful and tender, and Seeley Booth felt truly like crying. He shot his eyes fiercely, until it hurt, his fists curled in two balls.

" _Damn."_ He whispered surly, and in no time the soft fingers were gingerly touching in his bandaged head.

" What is it, Booth? Are you in pain?" He kept his eyes closed for a while, like a little boy afraid of looking to see if there were monsters in this closet, shaking his head.

" No. I´m fine, I guess. As fine as someone in my place could be, I suppose." He opened his eyes to find hers, and saw only understanding there. " It´s just… I was kinda of hoping that everything was just a freaking bad dream. Or, at least, that when I woke up from the sedation, I would be remembering everything. _But I don´t._" He felt all despair that took over his mind earlier trying to make its way back._ He had lost five years of his life. Five years of his boy´s life. Parker was no longer a baby._ He stared at his own hands to avoid her from seeing the tears forming in the corner of his eyes. But she wouldn´t let him drift into a dark place, her voice calm and confident.

" You will remember, Booth. Every single thing. Dr. Irving said so. He said that your brain was in perfect condition, without any lesion. He took a new MRI to be certain. He said that your brain is just too tired right now, and it´s no surprise. _You had a big surgery. You were in a coma._ Your brain is drained from such an effort. But the doctor is sure that you´ll remember soon. You can´t think otherwise, you can´t let this become stronger than you. More importantly, you have to remain calm and protect your body from real damage. Your blood pressure has to remain in a normal basis." She took his hand again, and all Booth could see in her face was sincerity and affection._So much affection. I guess I must be a very lucky man._ " You will remember everything, Booth. Really. In no time, you´ll be seating here with all your memories in place. Trust me. I know you will." Those eyes. They had looked at him that way in the past, he just knew.

" _How? How can you be so sure?"_ he blurted out, honestly curious. How come that she had so much faith at him? She smiled, and something in his chest stirred, as a primal instinct.

" because I know you. You are the most stubborn man that I´ve ever met in my life. And you never give up." _You didn´t give up on me in so many occasions. I´m not letting you give up on you._ Her thoughts seemed to have a path or their own, but she didn´t care. It was all true. They remained in silence for a while, hands laced, his eyes lost into space.

" Temperance?" Booth´s voice was shy and uncertain, but Brennan felt herself cringe despite all her self control, and her tongue seemed to create a life of it own.

" What did you just call me?" She regretted the exact time she said it, for his expression was one of pure shame and fear at her tone of voice. She had snapped at him.

" I´m…I´m sorry. This is not how I call you? Is it Brennan… or dr. Brennan, maybe? Do you prefer that way?" maybe he had offended her. Maybe they weren´t that close.

" _NO._" She realized she was close to shouting, and lowered her voice, feeling his hand turn cold in hers. " No. Temperance is fine. Just temperance." She honestly didn´t mean to react that way. How could he know how he was supposed to call her? But it had just…_hurt so much._ Not to hear from his lips that silly nickname, one that she had complained vehemently when he first started with it._ Bones._ At the beginning, she kept fighting and telling him to not call her "Bones". With time, though, she grew fonder and used, for she realized that it was actually a showing of affection. And Brennan never imagined in her life that she would be longing for Booth to call her Bones again, but, oh, she did. Nevertheless, she couldn´t tell him that._No details, _the doctor had said. Booth would have to remember by himself. And while it didn´t happened, she would be just Temperance. She didn´t think she could take if Booth called her Brennan or worst, dr. Brennan _. It was so… cold._ So unlike Booth. He was looking at her intently, and she fidgeted. He was reading her, the way that only him knew how to do.

" I´m hurting you, Am I not?" he half asked, half stated, piercing into her eyes, realizing that he was missing something. But she shook her head quickly, squeezing his hand and coming closer.

" You never hurt me, Booth. I´m actually the one that often do something not adequate, or say not proper things. I was just… with my mind far away, and you startled me. That´s all." He somehow knew she wasn´t telling the true, and also knew that it wasn´t the time to push the subject. It was such a strange feeling, knowing how to act around her, but not remembering why and how he had become so good in it.

" Ok, then. I was just wondering… if you could tell me something about you… anything. About us, what we do, how we met, things like that. Anything would be nice." He smiled, and she almost fainted. His charm smile remained untouched, the one she could not resist. She nodded slightly, picking her words carefully.

" Well, as I´ve already told you, I´m a forensic anthropologist, working for the Jeffersonian institute. We´ve met about a little more than four years, during a murderer investigation in which the FBI had asked for my cooperation. We started to work together from time to time, until one day, after I had just came back from a trip and you were pestering me again to help you, we decided to become partners, after I stated that I wanted to paricipate of field work. Since then, you have been working as the FBI liason along the Jeffersonian. When there is a corpse hard to identify, you just pick me up and we go to the crime scene. Then, we interrogate suspects, search for weapons, things like that. And at the Jeffersonian, me and the rest of the team work with the body. Over the years, we had become really close. We are good partners, and definitely very effective in our field. We are actually the top team in crime solving, I guess. " She knew she was giving a _really short version _of their life, but she felt as if walking over thin ice.

" _My partner is a squint? And there´s a team full of squints?"_ Booth felt like his jaw could reach the floor anytime soon. Temperance frowned a bit, a small smile playing over her lips.

" Trust me, you had became quite fond of what you call the squints." Her voice was becoming distant, as another flashback crossed his mind.

He was worried sick. She was in danger. She was missing, with another person, someone of the squint squad. A man. Blond, blue eyes, he recalled that. Something very serious was about to happen, and they were short of time. He was contemplating a camp of sand, searching frenetically for any sign of activity. He could feel the fear of loosing her, the regret of so many things that would remain unspoken if that happened. Three familiar people stood next to him, also looking, and he assumed that they were part of the team. And then, he saw it. A not trained eye would had passed, but a little glint of smoke appeared far away, down, and he was running so fast that his lungs started to burn. He kneeled at the spot, his hands digging, searching, his mind praying to God to not take her away from him. And then, he found a hand, her hand. In no time, she was out, earth covered, but alive. He remembered how he had to fight the sudden desire of kissing her right there…

" Booth." Her voice called him back, and he stared at her in utter shock, the fear that he had experienced then still in his heart.

" _You were buried alive?"_ His voice was between alarmed and disbelieving, and he found himself pulling her closer, as if he could loose her. Temperance looked at him with gleaming eyes, instead of the panic mirrored in his own.

" _You had another memory! See? You are remembering. You´ll remember."_ Her smile diminished a little when she noticed the look of pure panic in his face, and she tried to reassure him. " It´s ok, Booth. That was a long time ago. It´s all over now. The person responsible for it is already in jail for good." _But not before almost taking you away from me first,_ she remembered with a shudder. Booth stared at her as if deciding if it was all right indeed, giving all of a sudden his boyish smile.

" Why do I get the feeling that we have been in a lot of messy situations just like this one?" She laughed, _really laughed_, and he felt as if he was under a spell, her face inches from his.

" Probably because it´s true." He laughed too, somehow knowing that she was, indeed, right. They were quite a pair, apparently.

" You know…while I was asleep I had this weird dream. You punched me." He talked tentatively, and her eyes widened.

" _What? I would never punch you, Booth!"_ She was outraged, and started wondering if he was high by the sedation drugs.

" You did in my dream. It was really weird. It was my own funeral, but apparently, I wasn´t dead, because I appeared all of a sudden to catch a guy, and my coffin was full with a doll or something. Then, you hit the guy I was fighting with with the doll´s arm, and then, _you punched me."_ He though it was quite funny now, actually. _Man, what drugs can do with your mind…_

" Oh, I take it back then. I really punched you. It wasn´t a dream at all. This really happened." She still could remember the pain of thinking he was dead. Two weeks of pure suffering. He looked at her mouth agape, and she started to explain. " The FBI made you forge your death. You made a list of the people that should be warned that it was a fake death, and you put my name on it. But Sweets though it was better not to tell me, and I was furious with you because I though back then that you didn´t bother to tell me. hence the physical agression."

" Sweets?" That name rang a bell, an annoying bell. He felt the urge to punch that person for putting Temperance in that situation. She rolled her eyes at the mention of the name.

" Dr. Lance Sweets. He´s our therapist." Another rolling of eyes.

" _Therapist? We have a therapist? Why the hell we need a therapist?"_ Now, he was starting to get really confused. What the heck? She shook her head and raised her eyebrows.

" That, I cannot answer, simply because I have no a idea. I honestly think that we don´t need therapy at all. But we started to see him because the FBI was considering breaking our partnership, and don´t even ask me why. We are the best, why part the best?" She seemed to be now speaking to herself, which amused him a lot. She looked clearly outraged by the thought of seeing a therapist. –_I hate psychology-_ her voice reverberated inside his mind again. His head was beginning to throb. Too much information, he guessed. At the same time, he started to feel really drowsy, and couldn´t stifle a yawn. She was sharp to see his actions, and stopped talking immediately about this Sweets guy.

" I think we should stop with the past for now. You should rest. You can´t force yourself too much. You are already showing great improvement, Booth. See how much you are remembering already?" her smile was so sweet and encouraging that he couldn´t help but smile back.

" I suppose. If only I could place those memories in the right time and place. It´s all fuzzy." He yawned again, his eyes starting to get heavy.

" You will. Just relax for now, ok? Sleep."

" Will you be here when I wake up?" he sounded like a little boy, and she placed her fingers over his cheek.

" I will be here for as long as you want me to, Booth. I´ll just go out for a while now to get me some coffee and food. And some candy. Gum, maybe. I saw a machine down the corridor. Ok?" He nodded with eyes already closed, knowing she would stick to her word. She would be there. She was just going to get some gum.

_Thanks for the gum.-_ It snapped in his head so fast that Booth almost jumped, a new image forming in his mind.

_Oh my God._ He felt like a big puzzle was starting to make sense all of a sudden.

TBC…

So… I know that Booth´s memories aren´t in chronological order. But it´s on purpose, trust me, it fits that medical condition that I have been talking about… and it will start to be explained next chapter. So…

The more the reviews come ( Let´s double the number,c´moon…see how appealing the review buttom is?)…the more the chapter will flow!!


	3. Chapter 3

A.N: I still don't own Bones...

Thanks for your reviews! You keep them coming, and the fic will be better and better!

CHAPTER 3- CONFABULATION

_Thanks for the gum._

He felt completely awkward as their lips approached, although he couldn't say for sure the reason. In this memory, he felt… watched by someone, by priding eyes. But despite that, he could feel his heart thundering as she came closer, filling his nostrils with her scent, sweet, feminine, _hers._ Before any of them could think further, their lips were touching, and then, there was no way to stop it, not that any of them wanted to. She was intoxicating. He meant to keep it sweet and innocent, but it was no use, because once her lips were over his, he was inebriated, and he couldn't get enough of her taste. Soon it was fierce, their tongues meeting with such a hunger,his hands wrapping tightly around her waist, and hers playing with his suit, until she grabbed his collar shirt pulling him closer, her mouth spicy and prodding further, as if telling him to go on, urging him to move over her wonderful mouth , and he was only pleased to do so. It was like going back to his teen years all over again, his body like a crazy bomb of hormones, and at the same time, it was so adult and intimate, so comfortable yet so amazingly surprising at every single touch. It felt like home, and at the same time, it felt like he was exploring an entirely new world. He couldn't quite explain. And then, much before he would liked, it was ended, both gasping for air and trying to regain the composure. He realized that there was a familiar face watching their interaction, and had to use all his will not to shove her off and continue the kissing. They talked a little, the three of them, but his mind was too numb to make sense of the words that were talked in his memory. He remembered saying good bye to temperance, almost stuttering, and feeling strangely warm by realizing that she had lost her hability with speech for a moment. And as he was leaving he realized the silly gum that she was chewing inside his mouth, as if a souvenir of that amazing, great moment.

Seeley Booth sat alone on his hospital bed, in pure shock and awe as that memory rushed inside his brain, and he repeated all of it over and over again, trying to relieve every single sensation, because it was _so damn good._ How could he forget such a thing? It was very weird, indeed, for he just knew how much that kiss had meant to him. He did not remember Temperance Brennan. He did not remember how they had become acquainteced. Yet, he just knew how important that woman was, like it was carved inside him. It was a feeling of familiarity, of safeness, of caring. He closed his eyes in a silent prayer, and once again his brain decided that it should work, in a wild rollercoaster, up and down, up and down, so fast that he was becoming dizzy. It was like his mind was trying to send him a message.

They were ice skating in the middle of the night, hand in hand as she menaced to fall now and then, and he dragged them fast and yet carefully, because she was too precious to fall and get hurt. His hands sometimes traveled to the small of her back and waist, and they were laughing. She seemed to be jealous of someone, saying that she didn't want to work with anybody else but him, and his chest felt like exploding with joy. And then, he was promising her that nobody would become between the two of them, and she was laughing again, saying that he was going to make her fall. His words reverberated soundly inside his head. - "_I will never let you fall… I'll always be here."_ - He swore to never let her fall. And now, he had the distinct feeling that he was faultering her, for he wasn't exactly there for her, since he had no memory. He was failing her.

Another happening flashed in his mind, and he closed his eyes in order to stop the world from spinning. They were in some kind of pottery class, like a…_double date?_ They were with a younger couple, and the man seemed awfully familiar. Temperance looked so cute and relaxed, he could remember thinking that, and in one moment she was admiring his work, and the other they were behaving like two careless and happy children, throwing clay into one another, laughing, eyes twinkling at each other…

His breathing was too fast for his own sake, and he knew it. His head was beginning to throb again furiously, telling him that it was time to stop or it might very well explode. The damn machines were beeping again, a thing that he had already learned to understand that his pressure wasn't good. But hell, it wasn't like he was doing it on purpose! If only all memories could just come in one time, everything in those five years, not some selected and enigmatic ones that made him anxious and scared for his life._He just wanted his life back._ He dared anyone in his place to not feel anxious and confused. But at the same time, he was grateful for the small things that kept coming, for they were great clues to guess who and what paper that woman had in his life. _She was so cherished. So important. How could he forget? _And despite this horrible behaving of his, she was still there for him, sweet, caring, all the time. He felt very lucky all of a sudden. _God never closes a door without opening a window, Seeley._ He knew who she was. He just didn't know how to react to this anymore, his gaze falling into his own hands, and once again on that day he felt terribly lost.

(----------------------------)

Brennan found Booth staring at his own hands as if he was hypnotized by something very, very far away. He seemed so lost that her usual composed self started to scream, telling that she should be doing so much more than just keeping him company. After all, who was the one that always, always comforted her in the worst moments of her life? Besides Angela, it was always Seeley Booth. He had seen her in her worst days, he had sided by her in the most horrible situations of her life, always making sure that things would be ok, always with a word or an act of care. He had though her the importance of human contact. He had hugged her when she cried, and had rubbed her tears away. Now, it was her time to do so. She knew she wasn't half as good as Booth at this kind of thing. She never knew what was the right thing to say, she was awkward with physical contact. Booth could read her like an open book, but she couldn't exactly do the same for him, and now, more than never, she lamented her lack of human skills. But for that man, she would try her best. She would use his own advice, and follow her heart. She put her purchasings carefully on the small table of his bedroom and approached him, sitting gingerly by his side at the bed, placing a careful hand at his own, in order to catch his attention. It seemed to work, for he stirred at her touch and lifted those amazing chocolate eyes to her. His expression, though, was so sad that scared her, and she instinctively squeezed his hand and came closer.

" hey. Is there something wrong? Are you not feeling ok?" Just then she realized that the monitors were beeping, frowning at the sight of his BP. _Why is he agitated again?_ For now she could see that, with the sadness in his eyes, there was also excitement and confusion, and his own body seemed eager to get up, to move, his fingers squeezing hers back, while he fumbled in the bed._ " Booth._ You have to stay quiet and calm. Stop stirring."

" My head hurts. And I feel kinda of… dizzy. I don't know." He looked at her helpless, but there was something in his eyes as he stared at hers that scared Brennan a little, she didn't know exactly why. Except that he seemed to be reading her again, an expression full of -_love?-_, or at least caress, mixed with a little anger and hurt.

" Well, it's no surprise that you are feeling like this with this blood pressure, Booth." She was already pressing the nurse's bottom again, knowing that Dr. Irving would be very concerned with this condition. " really, I know that it's all very difficult for you, but you have to try harder and remain relaxed. I know you are worried, but we already had this conversation, Booth. You are going to remember everything. You are already having some memories back. It's only a matter of time now, and…" She was suddenly interrupted by his free hand cupping her face, his fingers caressing her cheeks gingerly, as if he was afraid of being repelled. In any other day, she would probably do so. But not today. She had been so concerned and eager for him on the past days that his touch seemed a concrete confirmation that yes, he was back, and fighting like always. She stared at him in shock, never moving.

" Why…why didn't you tell me?" His voice was a bare whisper, and his fingers great wonders against her skin. She felt almost like crying, because she was so afraid that he might never touch her again. For four long days, she kept waiting for his touch, for his voice, for his eyes. But her brain was still able to function despite that marvelous tough, and she also spoke, a whisper herself.

" What? What didn't I tell you Booth?" _So many , many things, Temperance . But it's for his own sake . Dr. Irving said so._ His fingers stopped it's ministrations, his hand now just cupping her face.

" About us." She saw the hurt in his eyes, but she was honestly too confused to comfort him.

" What? But Booth, I did tell you. I explained to you who I am, who _we _are. I told you about our partnership, about…" His eyes were so serious while trapping hers that she quit talking immediately .It was the look he always gave to her when he had something serious and or important to say. His grasp in her hand and face became stronger, his jaw slightly clenched.

"_No. I mean us. Not the working part. Why didn't you tell me that we were…together? You know… that we were, we are… more than partners?"_ He closed his eyes to avoid the dizziness, so he failed to see the look of pure shock and fright in Temperance's own face.

" Booth, I don't…I don't know what you mean." But she was almost sure she did. And it was scaring her to death. What was happening inside his brain? She wished the nurse arrived, with Booth's neurologist.

" Temperance…I remembered. I saw it. All those memories… I remember we kissing, and I remember the way I felt, _the way I feel._ I was so happy, and scared and overwhelmed. But that kiss was worth of it. Jeez, it was the best of all kisses I can recall. I may not remember everything of us, but feelings do not lie. That kiss didn't lie. And then…then we were ice skating, hands together, and I've promised you that I would never let you fall, that I would never leave you…And I also recall, I _know_ how I felt back then too. I felt like…we could stay like that forever. I felt like I was the most blessed guy in the world to have you with me right there . I remember the sound of your laughter, and the way my chest twisted every time that you looked at me. Hell, I even remember some kind of double date we had, a pottery class. You were so happy, and so was I. We were having fun. We were throwing clay at each other like two freaking teenagers in love. And I remember how much I wanted to kiss you there, how beautiful you looked with dirt all over you. _I know that all of this happened. You can't deny it."_ Brennan was feeling like all the blood was being drained from her, her head starting to feel light, her heart beating in a very irregular basis. _What in heavens name is happening here?_

" Booth, I'm not denying any of this. But I think you are confused." How was she supposed to deal with it? What was she supposed to tell him without making things worse? Without making his already absurdly high blood pressure go over the roof?

"Heck, of course I'm confused. Beyond belief. I've just woke from a coma and lost five years of my life. And probably the best ones, because these are the years that I was with you. And I know, _I just know… that I love being with you._That's why I feel good with you here, even if I can't actually figure who you are, remember everything. That's why I keep remembering facts that involves you. _That's because I want to know who you are so badly.I want to know everything about you and me, like I must used to know._ I just… you should have told me." Was she mad at him for not remembering? He had promise not to leave her, after all, and he felt as if he was breaking that promise. Maybe she was too hurt with this situation. He couldn't blame her. He was hurt too. And so damn frustrated with himself.

Temperance Brennan was a woman that very rarely felt in a complete loss of what to say or what to do. But right now, the world could collapse and she still would find herself in a blur. In complete lack of vocabulary or even thinking rationally. It was almost surreal. Actually, it was surreal. The room's door was suddenly open, and they both turned to see the nurse and dr. Irving entering the place, and once again on that day, Temperance found herself praying. Praying for dr. Irving being able to help her and Booth.

" Mr. Booth, what did I tell you already? You can't be that agitated. It's only going to make your recovery longer. Your body is still overstressed by the surgery, and your blood pressure control system is still failing to work normaly. And a high pressure could be damaging for your brain, specially with this current retrograde amnesia status." Dr. Irving's voice was calm yet firm, and Brennan felt like hugging the doctor. That alone showed how desperated she felt. She never felt like hugging many people, let alone a potential stranger. " Let's give you something to low this pressure. And a mild sedative again. Not so strong as the first one, just enough for you to be a little drowsy and therefore, relaxed." He wasn't exactly talking to Booth anymore, his eyes set on the nurse as he prescribed said medications on Booth's chart and handed it to the woman. Brennan decided to take the opportunity, touching the doctor's arm lightly to call his attention.

" May I have a word with you? Outside?" The doctor gave her a curious look, but acquiesced. She looked carefully at Booth, giving him the best smile she could manage at the moment. " I'll be right back, ok? I just want to ask dr. Irving a few things. It will just take the time for the nurse give you your medication, so you are not going to be alone." She didn't wait for him to agree, getting out of the room quickly, realizing that she was breathing so fast that she could very well start to hyperventilating anytime soon. She was sure she heard him calling her name before the door was closed by dr. Irving, who eyed her with curiosity and worry.

" Is there something wrong, dr. Brennan?" For a moment, she felt like really fainting at the doctor's simple question. Taking a calming breath, she nodded slowly, the words forming in her lips hastly.

" He's… he's making up things. I mean, not really making up, because everything that he have said indeed happened. He keeps having these flashbacks, which I assume it's a good thing…" The doctor nodded in agreement. " But… he's assuming wrong things from them. I don't know what's going on. I don't know what to say. He just asked me why I haven't told him that we were together. As in a couple together." She realized she was whispering, which was stupid, but hell, she was honestly afraid. Afraid enough to do stupid things . Dr. Irving gave her a puzzled look.

" I still don't see what's the problem here, dr. Brennan. If Mr. Booth is remembering about your relationship status, than it's more than a good thing." Now, she felt like screaming.

"_We are not a couple!_" She noticed the look of pure surprise in the doctor's face, and actually groaned. " Why do everybody make this assumption about me and Booth? We are just partners, just friends. We were never in romantic involvement." Dr. Irving seemed to regain some of his composure.

" I'm sorry for making wrong assumptions then, dr. Brennan. It's just that you seen very dedicated to one another. But now I see why you are so worried. You are telling me that he's having real memories but is placing them as a wrong situation?" She nodded quickly, realizing that she was shaking.

" That is correct. He told me things that happened between us, but in a very inaccurate point of view. He says he knows how he felt about me then, and knows how he feels now. Except that it can't possibly be right, because we don't have romantic feelings to each other." She couldn't explain, though, why she felt like she was telling a huge lie by that statement. She did not have feelings for Booth besides a great friendship. _She did not._

Dr. Irving seemed to be in great thinking for a while, his piercing eyes focused in her words, his eyebrows furrowed deeply. It seemed like he was like that for hours, and yet Temperance knew that it only lasted a few minutes.

" Well, then it seems that mr. Booth is experiencing one medical situation, called Confabulation. It happens oftenly in cases of acute amnesia. You see, the patient tries to fill the voids in his memory with situations and memories that are many times false or inaccurate, as you put. It's more common that the patient invents the memories, although he is sure that those events actually happened. It's a self defense mechanism, from the fear of loosing facts of his life. So, he tries to fill the blanks. In Mr. Booth's case, fortunately, it's not that bad, for you are saying that the memories indeed occurred. But you see, he is so anxious to remember, to understand where and who he is that he's using those remembrances to construct a memory, a false one, but something that gives him reassurance. He sees you with him at the hospital, taking care of him, always there. Then, he keeps having these flashbacks. So, he puts them together and creates the confabulating situation. It makes him feel safer. You are familiar to him, and he knows somewhere in his mind who you are and that you are important to him. He knows that you have some kind of relationship, he knows that you have feelings from each other, even if they are not romantic. But in his mind, somehow, they had become that way. I cannot tell why. Maybe he has, actually, some of said feelings buried with him, and now he's releasing them." The doctor paused for a moment to catch some air, and smiled lightly at the striken expression on Brennan's face. " You don't have to worry that much, dr. Brennan. It's not grave, and he will eventually overcome this and face the reality. As I said, it's a self defense mechanism." She gave him a scared, wild look, the blue eyes almost popping out of her face.

" What Am I supposed to do then?"

TBC…

So… what is she supposed to do? You tell me, give your opinion! Reviews makes the chapters flow…

By the way… Confabulation is a real medical condition, I did not made this up. Just look into a neurology book and you'll see.


	4. Chapter 4

A.N: I don´t own anything of Bones!

By the way, the song used in this chapter is " I remember" , by Damien Rice and Lisa hannigan. I hope you enjoy this , and tell me what you think!

CHAPTER 4- THE TRUTH IN THE LIE

_I __remember it well  
The first time that I saw  
Your head around the door  
'Cause mine stopped working_

I remember it well  
There was wet in your hair  
I was stood in the stairs  
And time stopped moving

" What should I do, then?" temperance asked almost afraid of dr. Irving´s answer, the palms of her hands suddenly cold with sweat. What in heavens name she could do to help Booth in such an awkward situation? Even being the always well informed woman she was about everything, she had never heard about that medical condition. Retrograde amnesia? Yes, sure she was familiar with it. But this Confabulation condition? She would definitely had to do a lot of research and studying.

" Do not correct him. At least, not now." The doctor´s voice was low and serious, as if he was aware of the absurd he was telling her to do. She felt as her jaw could hit the floor by any minute now.

" Are you telling me to lie? _To Booth?"_ She must had misunderstood. She had to. But the look on dr. Irving´s eyes said otherwise.

" I´m not telling you to conceal things or even to keep lying to him indefinitely, dr. Brennan. I would never advise that , except that I really think that the pure true right now could do more harm than a few…wrong conclusions as the one Mr. Booth had made up. He´s stressed, scared and in a very high anxiety level. His brain had suffered al lot, and his body is still paying the price, hence his blood pressure. He just started having flashbacks, and it´s a great advance. I´m simply afraid that, by trying to take him out of the Confabulation situation, he gets more confused and start some kind of blocking his memories status worse than the present one. By telling him right now that he´s jumping to wrong conclusions, we may take away from him his only comfort, the source of some security. As I´ve had said, the confabulation situation is very, very feeble, it will probably pass soon, without any help. His mind will stop this self defense and come to terms with the reality when it´s ready. All I´m saying is that, if we can spare him from an immediate stress and trauma, we should do it." _I must be getting crazy, because I can actually see some sense in what he´s saying._

Brennan blinked several times, fighting back the tears and trying to think rationally at the same time. She wasn´t used to lie. She had always been a terrible liar, Booth himself had told her so. How could then, she lie to the person who could so easily read her and tell what was really going on?

" Are you saying that it would be… like a pityful lie? For Booth´s own good?" She whispered as if Booth was standing by her said as she spoke, and Dr. Irving just nodded in agreement, as the wheels in her brain kept working. " But… I hate lies. I have a commitment with true, that´s why I had became what I am. And I don´t think I could ever lie to Booth. Not to him. He would know." She was sure about that. He may couldn´t remember who she was right now, but he still had his amazing people skills, she was sure of that. He still had his gut, and probably would figure it out by the time he set eyes on her.

" We often don´t see the true when we are too desperate to believe in a lie, dr. Brennan. Mr. Booth is facing a lot of fears right now, and you are the one who brings him some peace, some reassurance._ He wants these things that he´s saying to be true._ You are his link with his past, with his suppressed memories. You are a trigger. He is just trying in his own way to find a logical explanation to why he´s experiencing these sensations around you." He looked at her with compassion, and again on that day Temperance felt the urge to break down. " You just have to be discrete and let things be, let the remembrances come. You don´t have to pull an act or anything. Just… let him be, let him speak and remember at his own way. If things start to get more complicated, we´ll sit and see how we can fix it." She wanted to scream " _How things can become more complicate than this?_". She wanted to shake the doctor, maybe shake even Booth for doing this to her. She wanted to disappear. Only she couldn´t. She had to stay for Booth, as she knew he would stay for her. And that was it, she realized, as she thought about what Booth would do if he was in her place, if such thing was asked to him. He would do it without hesitation if it were for her sake, she was sure of that. It was just who Seeley Booth was. He would do anything to protect her, to spare her of any kind of pain. Wasn´t she supposed to do the same?

" Fine. I will try. But I can´t make any promises. As I said, I´m a terrible liar, and Booth is really good in reading people." _Specially me. He always seems to understand what´s going on my mind._ Dr. Irving squeezed her shoulder in support, a faint smile across his lips.

" We all do our best, Dr. Brennan. I´m sure you´ll do yours, and that is enough. Let´s just see what happens, shall we?" He opened Booth´s bedroom door and motioned her to go back in, to find her partner lying down with sleepy eyes, a glint of sudden alert by her entrance. The doctor made a sign to the nurse to leave the two of them alone, and the woman was gone in no time soon. It was now just the two of them. _True time, Temperance. The true in a lie, or it would be the contraire? I just don´t know anymore._

She seated carefully at the chair by his side, a shy and tight smile on her face as she stared at him, finding interrogative brown eyes.

" Are you mad at me? For not remembering about us? Is this why you hadn´t told me? Because you´re mad?" His voice was surprisingly clear in opposite to the drowsiness he seemed to be experiencing, and she was fast to try calming him down, her chest tightening by his mere thought of her being mad at him for something that it was absolutely out of his control or desire.

" _No. I was never mad at you, Booth. Believe me._" He seemed to feel a little better by that statement, but she knew it wasn´t over. He needed an explanation._ About a relationship that never existed. Oh my God._ She sighed deeply, feeling his hand search for hers. " I didn´t… I didn´t want you to feel bad or… or guilty. For not remembering. Because that´s what you do. You feel guilty, as I know you are doing right now. And I didn´t want that to happen, because you simply had no control. It´s illogical to feel bad about it, Booth. It´s not your fault. I didn´t want to hurt you. Ok?" She held his gaze firmly, almost sure that he would explode anytime soon and say she wasn´t telling the true. Which she wasn´t, in fact. But he was supposed to believe in her. He was supposed to keep thinking that they were together, as a couple. Just when she was about to say anything else to at least try to find out what was going on in his mind, his fingers squeezed hers and he smiled, a faint copy of the charm smile that she was so used to, and secretively adored.

" Ok. I´ll try to stop feeling guilty. But only if you stop being afraid of telling me things that you think may hurt me. Do we have a deal?" Temperance almost chocked at his words. _She was already doing the opposite of what he was telling her._ Nevertheless, she smiled in return and tightened the grasp between their hands. He seemed lost in another world for a while, both silent, and she almost jumped when his voice raised a little.

" Temperance?" His eyes were sad and shy as he proceeded, and all Brennan wished was that she was able to subdue the pain. " I would like… to see Parker. And… and this squint team that you told me about. They are my friends, right? Maybe…maybe if I see them….I´ll remember. Could you call them all? Rebecca and Parker? And these people?" he seemed so insecure and young that she felt like hugging him as she would do with a little boy, telling him that things would settle down eventually. She studied his request carefully.

" We will have to check with dr. Irving, Booth. And if he says it´s ok, I think you should do one thing at a time. First Parker and then the team, maybe. I think it would be too much everybody together in the same room, and even in the same day." Booth looked at that amazing woman for a moment, silently thanking God he had her. She truly cared. He wasn´t alone.

" Ok. Just Parker, then. At first. I want to see my boy."

(-----------------------------------)

_I want you here tonight  
I want you here  
'Cause I can't believe what I found  
I want you here tonight  
I want you here  
Nothing is taking me down, down, down..._

They seat in a terse silence, Booth on his hospital bed, Brennan on her usual chair by his side, waiting. She knew that, instead of being nervous, she should try to keep him calm. But it seemed simply impossible as they stood there waiting for the arrival of Parker and Rebecca. Brennan could see that they had very different reasons to me anxious, and that Booth was in worse shape than she. After all, he was about to see a seven years old boy that was his son, but he could only remember him until the age of two. He was about to meet his son, the creature temperance knew he loved the most in the world. She, on the other hand, was nervous_ because Booth was nervous. Because she didn´t want him to suffer._ Simple as that.

Temperance had checked with Dr. Irving. She had explained Booth´s desire to see his son, and the doctor, despite some reservations regarding his blood pressure, agreed, because, as she was getting used to hear, it was bound to happen sometime. And preventing a father from seeing his child after such a critical situation as the one Booth had faced wasn´t in anybody´s plan. No one could deny it to him. And so, Brennan had made the call, interchanging the phone with dr. Irving as both tried to explain Rebecca of what was happening with Booth. In order to have her and Parker prepared. Rebecca heard her words sadly, and had agreed to take Parker to the hospital after talking and doing a lot of explaining to their little boy. He needed to be prepared.

A slight knock on the door was heard, and Brennan watched with the corner of one eye as Booth´s jaw clenched, and then Rebecca was entering gingerly, a small blonde boy by her hand. Parker Booth stood still for some seconds, his big brown eyes looking around until they rested on the man seating upright on the bed, and in no time soon he was out of his mother´s grasp, leaping quickly in Booth´s lap, a genuine smile playing on his lips. The smile of a boy who missed his father.

" _Daddy!"_ Parker threw his arms around Booth´s neck, burying his face on his chest, and Temperance could see that Booth was using all his self control to not fall into tears as he returned the embrace fiercely, almost hungry, his arms encircling his son. Booth looked at her for just a second, as if asking for strength, and she gave him the smile that made him feel dizzy and at the same time, safe.

" Hey, buddy." His voice was hoarse and thick, chocked with unshead tears, and both women in the room hid their own emotions, each on their way. " Hi, Becca."

The blonde woman managed to keep it on control, nodding gently with her head at his compliment, her eyes gleaming with her own tears at the scene before her. She could see the look of pain in his face. The pain of a father who lost five years. But Parker Booth was a bright and full of energy boy, and later temperance would recognize that he saved the day with his love and young trust and understanding. He let go of his father´s neck just to adjust himself better on his lap, a huge smile across his entire face.

" You look funny, daddy. With your head all wrapped like this." Temperance felt as if she was giving her first real laughter in four days, along with Seeley Booth, charm smile in place as he studied in awe the boy on his lap._ Jeez, he looks like me and Becca. He´s exactly what I thought he would be. What I wanted to._

" Do I? Temperance didn´t tell me so." He gave her a playful smile, the one she was so familiar with, that had teased her along the years.

" But you do, daddy. You look like a mummy!" Parker placed his small fingers carefully on his bandaged head, his huge eyes curious. " Does it hurt?" His voice was full with true worry and a little fear. Brennan watched their interaction in utter amazement. Booth maybe didn´t remember the past years, but he still was a dad in his core, a look of pure delight in his face.

" No. It´s all right now." He messed his boy´s curls in an instinctive move, and Brennan could not suppress a tear from rolling seeing this so familiar movement of her partner. More and more, she realized that her old Booth was still there somewhere. " C´mon, give your old man another hug." He opened his arms to his boy, praying to God to remember, to have the years back, to see his son´s development, anything. Parker obeyed happily, and Booth felt again little arms in his neck, holding him tight, as if telling him that he was there, that he was not letting it go. And then, he was in another world, like God himself was telling him that with time, things would be in the right place.

It was Christmas. He remembered feeling miserable, alone in his working desk, a void in his chest that his memory couldn´t quite understand. But it all went away when one of his colleagues appeared in his door, with Parker by hand, nodding silently to Booth and vanishing as the boy ran to his lap. He wasn´t alone anymore. Booth recalled the distinct feeling of thinking that Santa Klaus indeed existed, because having his son right there and right now was a Christmas miracle. In his hospital bed he grasped the little boy, while his mind kept wondering far away. It was still the same night. He and Parker were getting out of the car to the snow, and he was in the phone, talking to Temperance. He could remember how much he wanted her to be there with him and his son, to celebrate. But she couldn´t. Nevertheless, he wanted to see her, and give her a present. And so, there they were, the two Booth boys in a cold night, a Christmas tree by their side, as he told Temperance to look by the window of wherever she was. And then, he could see her face, full of joyful surprise, her smile, and her voice by the phone…_I love my present, Booth._

Brennan could tell he was having another flashback by the look in his eyes. She watched silently as he travelled far.

" He is remembering something." She spoke more to herself than to anyone, but Rebecca heard, and eyed her in curiosity.

" How can you tell?" temperance just shook her shoulders as approaching him carefully, realizing that the memory was over as his eyes searched for hers with some joy.

" I…I saw it. It was Christmas. Parker and I gave you a tree." He half stated half asked, but before Brennan could say anything, Parker looked at him in awe, his child eyes twinkling with pure happiness.

" Yes, daddy! That was last Christmas! I ran away to be with you, and mommy was sooo mad. And then, we went to give Bones her Christmas tree." _Bones._ The moment Seeley Booth heard that word, he felt as it belonged to him. He could not explain or even understand. But that word…was special.

" Bones?" It even felt good and right as his tongue spoke it. He looked from Parker to Temperance in curiosity and tension, knowing that he was missing something important. The look in her face just corroborated his idea. She seemed like a lost little girl as he said it, and he could tell that she almost fell apart. But she was strong. And fast. Her face recovered fast, a faint smile playing at her lips as Parker laughed and explained.

" It´s dr. Brennan… temperance´s nickname, dad. You call her like that all the time." Booth felt as if he was being punched. She had a nickname. And he forgot. Hell, he couldn´t even know why he called her that. It seemed…rude. And yet, part of him knew that she loved it. Almost as much as he did. Maybe it was a private joke. He eyed her questioningly, and she raised her shoulders pretending not to be concerned. No way she would let Booth know how much it hurt not to be called by the silly nickname of Bones.

" It´s a long story." And that was all she would give him for now. No details. She knew he was about to make more questions when Rebecca saved it all, a sad tone but resolute tone in her voice as she looked to her watch.

" I think it´s time for us to go. Your doctor said that we could just do a short visit for now, Seeley. Just a small time to let you see Parker, but you need to rest. We´ll be back tomorrow if the doctor say it´s ok. Right, parker?" The little boy agreed fervently, pursing his lips as if he was about to start crying. Booth could tell he didn´t want to go yet. But oh, his boy was brave, he thought, as his little face raised to be even with his, and their eyes were in the same level, his small hands pressed against Booth´s cheeks as his child´s voice filled the room.

" I know that you forgot a lot of things, daddy. Mommy explained to me. But don´t worry. You will remember." He spoke with the certain that only an innocent child could have, and Booth felt as the air was escaping from his lungs. " I´ll help you to remember. And Bones will help too. You always tell me that Bones is the best, and that she can do anything. I bet she can make you ok again." Now, Booth could not suppress the tears from forming. There he was, his son, promising him that things were going to be ok. He, the father, was the one that should be doing such things. And yet, he felt better by his words. He looked at Temperance, or " Bones", as his boy kept calling her, and saw that herself was almost crying silently after parker´s speech. The boy didn´t seem to notice the impact of his words, pressing a kiss on Booth´s cheek before leaving his lap hesitantly. Becca came close and kissed him too, and he could see the tears in her eyes too. _Three crying adults and a happy, brave boy. What a team._ She smiled to him before grasping Parker´s hand and getting out of the bedroom, closing the door slightly behind them. And then, he couldn´t take it anymore, his chest heavy, his throat sore, his eyes full of tears. He sighed and hid his face at his hands, crying silently, asking God where was the man that he used to be. What had happened to him? Parker´s baby face kept coming to his mind at the same time as the seven years old boy that had just left the room, and all Booth could think was how much he had missed. Five years were gone, and he wanted it back.

Temperance watched as Booth finally allowed himself to cry, to grieve his situation. She knew it must be harsh. Heck, it was harsh to her, she could only begin to imagine how it probably was to Booth, the one with the lost memories. His shoulders started to shake as his face kept buried in his hands, and something inside her started to scream, to toss and squirm. Booth needed her, just as she had needed him so many times in the past. In fact, she still did need him. But right now, she realized, he needed comfort, the same one that he had offered her so much.

She knew she wasn´t good at this. She was awkward with comforting, with making anyone feel better. She actually some times ended up making things worst. She was no good with soothing words or proper physical contact. Booth was the people person of the pair. But there he was, destroyed and unprotected. So, she took his advice once in her life, seating in front of him and pulling him in a close embrace. She let her heart speak. He offered no resistance, reciprocating the hug with ferocity, burying his face on her hair, a sense of familiarity and safeness taking over him as her scent fulfilled his senses. _This feels like home._ And, before he could restrain himself, his voice was getting out outloud, pleading and hoarse, directly at her ear.

" _Kiss me."_ He felt her shoulders tighten at these words, but she didn´t let it go, just pushing him enough to allow their eyes to meet.

TBC…

Reviews make me write fast…


	5. Chapter 5

A.N : I own nothing of Bones, except for my desire to see Booth and Brennan doing very kinky stuff.

Sorry for taking so long to update, but I´ve got a stupid conjunctivitis, which took me away from my computer for a few days. Anyway…I hope you enjoy!

Oh, and the lyrics in this chapter: " 9 Crimes", from Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan ( yeah, I´m a big fan!)

CHAPTER 5- SMALL CRIME

_leave me out with the waste this is not what i do  
it's the wrong kind of place to be thinking of you  
it's the wrong time for somebody new  
it's a small crime and i got no excuse  
and is that alright yeah?  
i give my gun away when it's loaded  
is that alright yeah?  
if you don't shoot it how am i supposed to hold it?  
is that alright yeah?  
i give my gun away when it's loaded  
is that alright yeah, with you?  
leave me out with the waste this is not what i do  
it's the wrong kind of place to be cheating on you  
it's the wrong time she's pulling me through  
it's a small crime and i got no excuse  
and is that alright yeah?  
if i give my gun away when it's loaded  
is that alright yeah?  
if you don't shoot it how am i supposed to hold it?  
is that alright yeah?  
i give my gun away when it's loaded  
is that alright?  
is that alright with you?  
is that alright yeah?_

" _Kiss me."_ Booth´s words filled the now completely silent room, as his browns eyes searched for hers, scared, hungrily, pleadingly. Temperance stared at him in utter shock, in an actual and very rare loss of words.

" Booth, I don´t… What ? What do you mean?" _It´s pretty obvious what he means.I just don´t understand why._ She realized that her voice sounded insecure and that she stuttered, but damn,_she was confused._ His hands grabbed hers, making sure that she remained seated in front of him, and she watched his lips move as if in slow motion.

" Make it go away. Make it better, just for a moment._Please, Temperance."_ He didn´t want to sound desperate like that. The only problem was, he was desperate. He tried to be positive and believe that all of that mess would soon disappear, that he would remember every single and tiny detail of those five years of his life. But right now, hope wasn´t very much an option, as he played in his mind again and again his encounter with Parker, his child´s face craved into his brain, mixing with the face of the two years old he was familiar with._I don´t even know my own son. I wouldn´t recognize him if we met on tha street. What kind of lame father am I ?_ He didn´t mean to put Temperance on that position either. She was clearly confused, and heck, could he blame her? In a moment he was in tears, the other he was hoarsely asking to be kissed. But the thing is, he needed her desperately. He remembered how great he felt after their kiss in his memory. Like the world was spinning in the right direction. He wanted that feeling again, feel that everything was in their right place. " make it go way." He stared at her, eyes clear, hoping she could understand. Hoping she would acquiesce.

Brennan considered his face, her lack of reading people skills screaming at her brain that she wasn´t able to interpretate this at all. But a nagging feeling in her chest told her otherwise. She could see his need to _belong_ all over his features. She could see his fear and the desire, and despite of herself, she felt goose bumps all over her body._The way he is looking at me. I´ve never seen it before._ Or maybe she did, but wasn´t ready to admit it. Temperance was no fool. She could be oblivious to mundane things and even most of feelings, but she could sense attraction. She had sensed it a long time ago when it came about Seeley Booth. From Both sides. The thing was, both of them were extremely zealous around each other, keeping those urges in control. But that did not mean that it didn´t existed. Quite the opposite. But it was Booth. Her best friend, her partner. She couldn´t afford risking all they had because of sexual desire, and she kept telling herself it was just it. Sex. Nothing further. She truly believed that, until four days ago everything menaced to fall apart. He almost left her for good, and all she managed to think in those horrid moments was how many things she wanted to say to him. How many things she wanted to explore someday with Seeley Booth. Her under concious screamed at her that It was the main reason she had written that stupid " The lab" story. Unsaid feelings and sensations. Good thing she didn´t go with psychology. She shook her head, trying to concentrate in the more urgent problem than her inner self and it dark desires. Booth wanted her to kiss him. And she wasn´t able to say no as she locked eyes with him, his dark pupils showing a wave of emotions that she knew she couldn´t fight against. He was asking her for care, for security. For comfort.

And who was her to deny him such a thing? He just had his heart broken. In his head, she was his girlfriend, the person that would give him unconditional support. And that was why she was there, to be true. She was there for him, good or worse, whatever it takes. Still, her big rational brain kept reminding her that,once this was done, there was no turning back point on that lie. She was going to perpetuate this by answering to Booth´s request. She would be irrevogably his girlfriend, Lord knew for how long. She would have to really pretend. And she was a terrible liar. He looked at her in expectation, and Temperance knew, then, that she was lost. How could she deny that man anything, the man that so many times had showed her that he was ready to do anything on her behalf. She felt like a criminal by denying him, and she felt like a criminal by lying to him; all she needed was to decide which crime was worst. Another look at him told her so. _It will be a small crime._

Slowly, very slowly, she placed one of her hands at his face, caressing it lightly, while the other rested in his chest. She could feel his heart racing by her actions. Booth´s answer was quick, his own hands moving, one grabbing her waist strongly, the other resting on her neck. And again, the goose bumps. She moved her hand from his face to the back of his neck, pulling him hesitantly, which was completely new for her. Temperance Brennan was a woman of no hesitations. Whatever she did, she did with certain. The first time she kissed him, under that ridiculous mistletoe, she did it without any doubt in her mind. Once she decided to go with it, it was a done thing. Why this time should be any different? She closed her eyes as their breathes mingled, and then, everything started to spin so fast that she could not tell where she was anymore, as his mouth claimed hers with such a passion that actually scared Brennan a little. But not enough to make her back off.

If Booth thought that the kiss he had remembered was amazing, now the only word that came up at his mind to name it was _amateur._ That wasn´t a kiss at all, it was the beginning of one._ This, this is real._ Her lips were like silk against his, moving slow and tauntingly, while he tasted her once again, his own mouth demanding in a way he never knew it could be. But he couldn´t help himself. He felt overwhelmed from the moment their lips crushed, like he was addicted. He couldn´t get enough of her, of her saucy way to try to regain the leadership of every single moved he started, of her tongue liking his bottom lip asking, no , demanding entrance. The way that their tongues entwined as if in its own accord, as if they were made for doing so. She was…intoxicating. Booth thought that with one kiss, he would be able to forget , even if for a while, the crazy twist that his life had turned. He was right. But oh, it was so much more. It was his way to home and his way to get completely lost. And he enjoyed and longed for both. She moaned slightly as his teeth nibbled her lips carefully, and it was like adding wood to an already well built fire. They went further, a new grade of intimacy, welcome and great.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Temperance was the first to answer to the offending noise, despite of the blur that had recently formed inside her head and clear thoughts. Nevertheless, she knew that the noise was somewhat important, and pulled away a little in order to hear it better, her eyes wandering through the room until resting on it´s source. She almost jumped out of her skin by realizing it was Booth´s cardiac monitor, now pulling away completely as she squinted at it´s numbers._ Good work with trying to keep his heart in a normal pace, temperance. Not to mention his blood pressure. You should know better than this. A kiss releases too much chemical substances for someone in Booth´s current state. Of course his body would speed. Pure physiollogy._

Booth opened his eyes when she started to get out, ready to pull her closer again. It was too good to be stopped. But his eyes followed hers and stared at the small screen that told they went too far.

_Damn stupid cardiac monitor._ He would be very glad if only he knew that her thoughts were the same.

" We shouldn´t be doing this. You should be resting." Her voice was hoarse and she could hear the desire on it, because she felt it all over her body. Lord forgive her, _but she enjoyed that kiss._ She enjoyed too much for her own good, and the world seemed to collapse at this perception. She went to far. She let herself get involved. _They had definitely crossed the line._

" _Wow. Just…wow._" She felt a little better by realizing that his voice carried the same amount of emotions than hers. Booth looked at Brennan in awe, his lips forming the charm grin she liked so much. " You are a great kisser." She rolled her eyes by his statement, despite of the big loop on her ego.

" I know." She answered simply, and he furrowed his forehead in amusement.

" Are you always this cocky?" Something told him that she was exactly like that. It also told him that he loved every bit. She gave him an angry look, her blue eyes darkened by their previous actions.

" I´m not cocky at all. I´m just realistic and honest. I know about by abilities. I know in what I´m good and in what I´m not." He smiled broader, his hands still keeping her close.

" yup, you´re cocky." She rolled her eyes one more time.

" So you keep telling me. All the time, I might add." Temperance studied the monitor again,happy to notice that the annoying beep had stopped. _The proof of my lack of good discernment and control._ " Seriously, Booth. You should try to sleep. You´ve been trough too much for today. And don´t forget that tomorrow the team will be here, as you requested. They confirmed with me. Everybody will be here before work. So…rest." She pushed him gently against his pillow, making him lie down, and he gave her a playful smile.

" I´m guessing that you are very bossy too." It was good to be able to joke even after all that happened, he thought. The thing was, that woman made him feel happy._wow, I must have it bad for her._

" You are way more bossy than me, Booth. Trust me. You don´t even let me drive your car. And I´m a very good driver. Such an alpha male." She twisted her nose in despise, while her voice became suddenly clear in his brain._-Booth, let me drive once! I´m a very good driver…-_ Booth only wished he could understand why those flashbacks kept coming like this. Why he kept remembering small things about her, and the rest of his memories remained suppressed. It was…strange.

" Why do I get the impression that I should be offended by this alpha male thing?" He had this distinct feeling that he was called an alpha male a lot by her voice. She smiled a little, and for a moment he felt like kissing her senseless again.

" You shouldn´t. It´s a compliment, actually. Most of the time, anyway. But sometimes your alpha male tendencies are a little too much for me. You have this idea of protectiveness that sometimes are way annoying." But despite her words, Brennan found herself longing for this so called protectiveness. For her old Seeley Booth back, annoying her with sexist tendencies such as opening doors, leading the way with his hand on the small of her back, making sure she was eating properly. Everything that she always told him it was ridiculous. It didn´t seem so right now.

" It sounds like me, I guess. Of what I remember about me, anyway." He spoke gloomily, and she instinctively squeezed his hand.

" Booth, stop torturing yourself. You are showing great improvement, and we both know it. You have remembered so much already. You are doing great." _Except for the part where you think we are in some kind of romantic relationship. But I can´t tell you that._ " just…try to sleep , ok? Maybe you will remember more by the time you wake up." She truly hoped so.

" Will you lie down with me?" He honestly didn´t know what the hell was happening with him and those awkward requests. It was just that he felt truly alone, with this amnesia situation, and it was scaring the hell out of him. And Temperance was his bridge with the reality, with the life he had lost, he realized. That woman had the answers. Heck, maybe _she was the answer._ He couldn´t say for sure. Again he saw the hesitance in her eyes, and mentally kicked himself. The last thing he needed was to scare her and drive her away. " I´m sorry. It´s just… this chair really don´t look comfortable. And you look like you could use some rest too. I must have been a lot of trouble for you these days. And this bed is big enough. For the both of us, I mean."

Temperance felt a wave of affection taking over her at his words. There he was, trying to take care of her as always. Angela would call him something silly like a knight in shinning armor. Good thing she wasn´t a romantic and didn´t have this kind of fantasies. He was just Always there. But the thought of a bed, even a shared one was actually very appealing. Booth was right, the chair was utterly uncomfortable. She suddenly felt the need to stretch her body in a cushion, and the view that complimented her was quite attracting. There was this handsome man smiling at her, moving aside and making space, motioning her to agree and rest with him._ I guess it would be strange if I said no as his girlfriend. Even if I´m not actually his girlfriend._

So, she nodded slowly as lying down carefully to not disturb him in any kind of way, making sure his head was well adjusted in the pillow while he gently embraced her with one strong and well worked arm. She felt somewhat dizzy by their closeness. Sure, they had been near each other many times. They had actually shared a bed , she reminded herself, when they joined the circus undercovered. She remembered how ceremonious Booth was that time, offering to actually sleep on the floor while she rolled her eyes and told him how ridiculous and immature he was being. She remembered the time she spent awake that night ,knowing he was there by her side, something primal and urgent telling her to do something about it. But she didn´t. Instead, she took a calming, long breathe and turned on her side, silently naming each bone of the human skeleton until it lulled her to sleep. She also remembered waking up in his arms the following morning, his arms embracing her , his body spooning hers as she looked in utter surprise at their entwined hands. She was quick to disentangle themselves, knowing that Booth would freak out if realizing how they were. But oh, she felt good in there. In his embrace, with his breathing on the back of her neck, giving her amazing shivers.

And so, there she was one more time, cuddling against him as a sudden wave of tiredness took over her body, claiming for rest after four days of only half sleep and pure worry. The last thing she remembered was her head falling at his shoulder, exhausted, while her arms pulled the covers over them and Booth´s breathing became quiet and calm as she drifted to dream land. It was with that vision that the night nurse was complimented when entering the dark room to check on her patient, a small smile spreading over her lips as she surveyed the sleeping couple. It was about time.

(------------------------------------)

Temperance paced back and forth in front of Booth´s bedroom door, wandering what was taking the team so long to arrive. It was early morning, and she had tricked Booth to leave the bedroom saying she was going to grab a cup of coffee to herself, telling him that she was sleepy and needed cafein . Which was a lie. She wasn´t sleepy at all, which actually surprised and scared her. because that feeling was caused by the simple fact that she had slept absurdly well in his arms. Without dreams, or middle night waking up. Only peaceful, deep true sleep. As if nothing bad could happen while she was there with Seeley Booth.

But nothing of this mattered now, she thought, as she looked again at her watch. The point was, she got out of the room in order to have time to talk and explain the team the current situation she was facing. The medical condition called Confabulating, and the consequences of it. She actually braced herself by the thought of what she was about to reveal._ Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth are officially a couple by the eyes of the world now._

" _Sweetey!" _The unmistakable sound of Angela´s voice suddenly filled the silent corridor and Temperance felt actual tears stinging her eyes by the mere thought of her best friend. How she wanted the chance to seat by Ange´s side and hear some comfort words. maybe analyse this. Angela always had good advice despite all her sometimes crazy behaviour. Brennan was, after all, also human. And no human was unbreakable, she was starting to realize, no matter how much she wished otherwise. She forced a smile on her lips as she watched everyone approach. There were Hodgins and Angela, hand in hand, finding comfort in each other. There was Cam, a large, positive smile spread over her face, only happy to hear that Booth was awake. And there was Sweets, looking so young and a little scared at the hospital environment and the perspective of a sick Booth, she imagined.

In no second Angela was hugging her, and Temperance was afraid she might fall apart by that demonstration of pure affection. Only she couldn´t afford a breakdown right now. Not with Booth waiting for her inside his room.

" Hi, Sweetey. How are you holding up? Oh, I´m only glad that Booth has finally waken up. Don´t worry about this memory loss thing. He will overcome this. Are you ok, honey? Do you need to talk?" Angela ´s ultra sensitiveness took over immediately by just looking at her friend. She knew Brennan far too well to fall by that brave face. She tried to pull her apart, but Brennan stood still, her eyes wavering a little, but her expression full of decision.

" Not now, Ange. Later." She was quite proud with the steadiness in her voice, as she surveyed the small group of people who truly cared about Booth. " before we go inside, we need to talk. I need to explain you something." She took a deep breath at their curious and worried looks, and decided to get over with that, quickly. There was no need to keep stalling. She would do as she always did. Fast and practical. She looked at each of her co workers and friends in the eye before finally speaking.

" Booth thinks that we are a couple. He and I. He thinks I´m his girlfriend." No word was heard for good five minutes as different degrees of shock and awe showed in their faces. Ange was the first to recover a little, her voice expressing the thought s of them all.

" _Oh my God."_

_TBC…_

_Liked It? Hated it? Let me know! Review, please!_


	6. Chapter 6

A.N: Bones? Not mine!

Hey, guys! Did you see Hart Hanson´s spoiler for next season? I know I did, and I just can´t help myself. I´ll be starting a new fic based on it. Just wait and see!

CHAPTER 6- TEARS

Temperance tried her Best to explain Booth´s condition to a very stunned group of friends, all with wide eyes and mouth agape. The medical jargon kept getting out of her lips as if they had a life of their own, while she tried desperately to justify and make everybody understand why and how it happened. She was Booth´s girlfriend, and she needed them to corroborate this story._Not story, Temperance. Lie. Pure, utter lie. No wonder they all look so appalled._ But what was she supposed to do? It wasn´t like she was enjoying the situation. It wasn´t like she had invented it. Booth did that for both of them, and all she was doing was because she cared. Because he was her partner and her friend, and she had to give him what he needed for now. And if that was a lie, she would do it. For Seeley Booth, she would.

" And I know that it seems awful to lie to Booth like this, but dr. Irving was very clear about it. It can be more dangerous to him right now to know the true than to be kept on this…fantasy." Brennan looked at each of them, realizing different states of shock on their faces. She searched for disapproving, and was glad to not find any. " I would be very thankful if you all help me with this for now. I´m a terrible liar, and I´m sure that Booth will realize it in due time. His people skills are untouched.I really, really need you guys with this." She was sincere. As time passed and she realized the dimension of what she was doing, of the false relationship she was supposedly building with Booth, the more freaked the felt. She kept thinking about that kiss, and how much she guiltly enjoyed it. She felt as if somehow she was taking advantage. Because Booth was all in, simply because in his head, it was the natural and the right thing to do. But her conscious told her otherwise. She knew better.

" Sweetey…we´re all with you and Booth in here. We´ll do what´s best for him. It´s just…weird. Why in heavens name would Booth think you two are a couple?" Angela Montenegro asked carefully, actually having a pretty good a idea of Booth´s reasons. With those two, things were never simple. Trust one of them to find a strange way to venture feelings. Because she was sure that was what was really happening. Booth had waken up and somehow realized, even in an amnesia status, how important Brennan was to him. Angela wasn´t also convinced by Bren´s little speech about just doing that because the doctor had ordered so at all. Her best friend may actually believe in that, but Angela could see deeper. Part of the almighty dr. temperance Brennan longed for it for only Lord knew how long. But Angela was careful to not let her thoughts show on her voice. If things were happening, who was she to ruin everything? Yes, it was dangerous to be lying, and she didn´t even wanted to imagine what would happen if Booth suddenly realized the true. Maybe only wonderful things and a happy couple. Maybe,on the other hand, hurt and accusations.

" I don´t know, Ange. I really don´t. Dr. irving says something about familiarity. Booth keeps having some flashbacks about us. Plus, I´m the one who was here when he woke up." She left deliberately behind the part where the doctor had said that Booth probably already had those feelings somewhere, because it was simply ridiculous. It couldn´t be. They were just friends. Good, great friends, but that was all.

" he is probably right. Dr. Brennan must pass a feeling of security to Booth. In amnesia cases, it´s what the patient seeks the most. Hence, the confabulation. Wow. I´ve never thought that I would actually see a case like this at live, specially with someone I know. I´ve just read it in books." Cam spoke slowly, and Temperance looked at the doctor in awe, awareness suddenly striking her.

"_cam! Booth knows you! He will remember you. You´ve known Booth for much more than the five years he lost._ This is good. It will make him feel better, I hope." Temperance felt suddenly surprised with her own lack of realizing it. How could she not remember such a relieve to Booth? Someone he was familiar with, and that would probably give him a much bigger feeling of safety and familiarity than even her own._ I must be more tired than I thought. I don´t usually let things pass. Ever._ She shook her head and motioned the group to follow her, opening the door slowly. " let´s go. He´s probably asking himself what´s taking us so long. I´ve told him that I would just get out to show you where ´s his room."

The four visitors watched in awe as temperance Brennan took a deep Breathe and seemed to wash away of her face any kind of worry or insecurity she may had demonstrated just a few minutes ago while explaining Booth´s situation . It was like watching a really good actress starting her acting. Brennan let go of any wrinkles of confusion and stress. They exchanged significant looks. Brennan was so out of her normal self and didn´t even realized. All because of Seeley Booth and his welfare. She gave a genuine smile to the man seated on the bed, and the team could only feel the amazing electricity between them as Booth himself smiled back. The FBI agent may had lost his memory, but apparently, when regarding a particular forensic anthropologist, things would always be the same. He would melt in a large , charming smile, as if the world just had gotten better. Angela looked at Cam and winked. Cam laughed silently. Hodgins shook his head amused. Sweets sharpened his eyes at their small interaction, as Brennan departed the group and approached Booth, accepting the hand he had already stretched in her direction.

" Booth. Everybody is here. This is our team. Our friends." She spoke softly, squeezing his hand as she felt his fingers going cold with nervousness, his eyes surveying each of those faces until freezing into one he knew far too well.

"_Camille."_ He felt as if his eyes could pop out of it´s orbits at any time soon as he looked at the smiling brunette woman._What the heck?_ If he was confused before, now he was in a completely different level. How could he have lost five years of his live and be still receiving visits from ghosts of the past? Was his mind playing tricks?

" Hello, Seeley." Her voice was still the same, as was the way she used his name to tease him. He shook his head in bewilrement, the words coming out of his mouth in an automatic way.

" Don´t call me Seeley." It was like being in his twenties again as she smiled and tilted her nose.

" Don´t call me Camille." Their private joke, for they both hated their names. Booth turned to temperance, and she mentally kicked herself for not being able to remember that cam was a familiar face in the first place. He looked as if ready to explode.

" Temperance…I think I may be hallucinating like you said I was before the surgery. I mean…I know her. I really do." Brennan felt her chest tightening as she heard the fear in his voice and felt his hand squeezing hers as if asking for support. She was fast to calm him down.

" You are fine, Booth. It was my mistake. This is really the person you think it is,ok? Cam has been working with us for over three years now. I don´t know what has gotten into me to forget it. I´m so sorry." But the truth was, she knew. Her brain was so full with worry and pure fear the last days that had stopped functioning adequately. _This is what seeley Booth is capable of doing to me._

" yeah, big man. You don´t need to act as if you were seeing a ghost or something. Really, Booth. Is this so bad to see me again?" Cam had the spirit to lighten up things, and Booth immediately relaxed, a small smile in his lips as he looked from Temperance to cam.

" No. It´s nice to see you, cam. I guess I never thought that I would have my ex and my actual girlfriend all friendly at the same room, let alone working together." He spoke the only thing that was in his head right now, immediately regretting it, for temperance seemed to be chocking and so did cam._yeah, very subtle Seeley. Way to go._ If only he knew they were just trying to not cry or laugh at the same time. Now it was the time for Angela try and save the day, a large smile plastered on her face as she came closer and grabbed Booth´s free hand.

" Well, there are other people in this room that also missed you, stud. Me, for example. Don´t worry, you´ll remember me in no time. I´m unforgettable. I´m Angela Montenegro, sweetey. Bren´s best friend and also the one and only artist on the team." She nodded to Hodgins and sweets, as if telling them to introduce themselves too, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

" yeah, and I´m Hodgins, the bug and slime guy, currently the ultimate king of the lab. And also your friend, by the way. You were my best man the first time I´ve tried to marry Ange here. Long story, dude. Don´t force yourself too much. It´s complicated even for me." Jack was fast to advise as he noticed the expression of confusion on Booth´s face as he tried to talk about his always complicated messy relationship with Ange. Hell, his health was fine and he still couldn´t figure it out, imagine someone who had just got out of a coma.

" And I´m dr. Lance Sweets, Yours and dr. Brennan´s therapist. And also, I´m currently the team´s profiler." Brennan actually felt sorry for Sweets. The kid was frightened from the moment Booth was admitted on the hospital, and right now, he still looked like that way. But Booth´s next words unconsciously broke all the tension built by each one of them.

" wait,_you are our therapist? No way. You look like you´re twelve!_" temperance was the first to give up and start laughing, a pleasant change in her last days routine. Laughing. It was good to hear that sound. She was quickly followed by the rest of the team, as Sweets just shook his head and sighed while speaking.

" I guess some things will never change."

(--------------------------------------)

Angela practically grabbed a very reluctant Brennan down to the cafeteria, while the other woman kept giving excuses in order to go back to Booth´s room. But Angela Montenegro was not one to be messed up with. Once she wanted something, she wouldn´t stop until getting it. And right now, she wanted to check on her best friend. Because she was truly worried. Ange had been watching carefully every single move and word of Brennan while they were with Booth, while the team slowly made conversation with the agent and it started to really hit at all of them. Seeley Booth had forgotten them all. He was still the same polite, caring man of always, but he couldn´t place where exactly they met and how important all those people were in his life. It hurt to realize that, Angela thought. And if it hurt at her, she could only begin to imagine what it was like to Brennan. She knew that her best friend trusted Booth with her life. She knew that sometimes, Bren would not tell her, Angela, certain things, and would tell Booth. Most of all, she knew how much she unconscious or not needed him. And now, she was the one being the caretaker.

" sweetey, stop squirming and just come easily,ok? Booth will be fine for a few minutes without you. He´s not alone, remember? Everybody is with him, and they seem to be getting along quite well." It was true. Despite the amnesia, Booth managed to feel at ease with all of them at once, and Angela suspected that deep down he knew who they were and how they were. It was just…kinda of hidden right now. But it would surface.

They finally made to the cafeteria, and Angela was fast to seat taking Brennan with her, a honest and worried tone on her voice as she started speaking.

" ok, Bren. We´re all alone now. So…start to spill. " temperance had been waiting for that question by the moment Angela had arrived that morning. She could feel her best friend´s eyes resting on her while they were inside Booth´s room. She had pretended not to see. Because she honestly wasn´t sure at how could she answer that question without falling apart.

" Spill what, Ange?" She looked to the floor, avoiding the offensive tears from forming and rolling down._Be strong, temperance._ But her voice faltered a little, and she was no fool to think that the always ultrasensitive Angela Montenegro would not catch that.

" Nice try, Bren. In another occasion, I might actually let it pass and allow you to deal with it alone, only coming to me when you´re ready. That´s what we always do, right? But sweetey…this is big. This is different than any situation you´ve ever faced. And I´m not even entering in the you-are-falsely-dating –Booth field for now. I´m just interested by now to know how you are holding up with all this mess. With Booth not being able to remember who you really are. So …tell me." She realized that Temperance was biting her lip, as if trying to hold back the words from getting out. She rested a gentle hand over her friend´s as if telling her it was ok. It was like firing a gun.

" What can I say, Ange? I have to be fine. I cannot afford otherwise right now. You saw how it is. He doesn´t remember anything. And it´s breaking his heart." Now the tears were definitely there, her eyes moisten as Angela squeezed her hand.

" It´s breaking your heart too, sweetey. And it´s ok." Angela just wanted her strongheaded friend to understand that crying and being afraid was not a sign of weakness. Quite the contraire.

" It´s not ok, Ange. I can´t be heart broken, because it would be useless for Booth, don´t you see? He needs me to be strong for him, he does not need me being desperate or even sad because his memory is failing. It would only make things worst, you know it would. Booth would think that it´s his fault. And I´m not letting this happen." She truly believed in what she was telling. Booth did not need a fragile, crying partner. He needed someone to give him reassurance.

" Bren…we don´t get to choose not to be worried by someone we love. It doesn´t work like that, sweetey." It was like punching Brennan in the face, as her jaw clenched and her body tensed up.

" I don´t love Booth." But even as she spoke that, it was like everything else was screaming liar. Angela gave her a sad and stern smile, her eyes piercing into her friend´s.

" Sweetey,_of course you love Booth._ That is the reason why you haven´t set foot at your own home ever since he got into this hospital. That is the reason why you want to stay close and watch his recovery, why you don´t leave his side at all. You have to face it. Heck, I´m not even talking of romance here._There are so many kinds of love, Bren._ I don´t even care right now about the kind or kinds of love you feel for Booth. But you do love him. At minimum, as a good friend. Friends love each other. And yes, I think that is so much more than this. But I´m not going there right now, because honestly, it would be just mean to do that with you at this moment. You need a shoulder, not a feelings lesson. So…just face it,ok? You are worried about a man you love. And that´s perfectly normal." Angela never stopped gazing at her friend, until temperance slowly agreed with her head, her eyes now filled with tears that slowly, against her desperate efforts and will, started to escape.

" what am I supposed to do, Ange? I keep telling him that he will remember everything, and that it will happen soon. But how could I know? What if it doesn´t happen that way? Plus, I´m living this huge lie, and I just feell like I´m betraying him. What will happen when he realizes the true? What if he hates me and don´t even want to hear my reasons? I just…I don´t know how to act anymore. I just know that I have to be here, until he says he no longer needs me or wants me. I have to stay here for everything. Because I know that Booth would do the same for me." And finally, after four days of pure agony and fears, she started to cry, really cry, not shed some discrete and hidden tears. She suddenly wasn´t able to talk anymore, as Angela just embraced her friend and kept whispering that things would eventually fall into the right place.

(---------------------------------------------)

The morning visit of the team had worn out both of them, for different reasons. For Booth, it was another slap in the face, the fact that all those people were there for him, and except for cam, he couldn´t place who the heck were all of them. To be sincere, he felt at some kind of ease with them, as if deep down, some part of him recognized them. But this simple feeling wasn´t enough. He wanted it all.

For Temperance, it was mostly the lie she was living. It seemed harder to pull an act in front of all her friends than when she was just with Booth. It seemed like when they were alone, part of her was just letting things happen naturally, not faking. And it was scaring the hell out of her. Plus, she felt exhausted after crying at Angela´s shoulder. Once she had started, it was extremely hard to stop. It was like a waterfall had formed in her eyes. Once she finally managed to regain some control, she had to use all her will not to let Booth realize that she had been a wreck.

And so, there they were now, both silent and lost in their own thoughts, and Booth couldn´t suppress a smile as he realized that temperance was nodding off on her chair. He considered calling her and making her lie down with him again, but didn´t have the heart to wake her up. He had the distinct impression that it was very hard to catch her like that, out of guard. He let his mind wonder by her face, a feeling of peace as he studied her features. Despite the amnesia, he felt like he had known that face his entire life. he felt as if he could never lose her. He didn´t think he would survive. He could only imagine how it must feel. And that was when a sudden image and a pang of pain formed in his chest, as he remembered of a boat and a man motioning her to come with him. And he telling her to do so, even if he felt like his heart had just been broke into pieces.

TBC…

Review and make me a little happy! Next chapter will follow exactly where this one stopped.


	7. Chapter 7

A.N : yeah, I still don´t own Bones, no matter how much I pray for it!

By the way, I´ve started a new fic based on a season 5 comment by Hart Hanson…If you feel interested, give it a try! It´s called " living the dream".

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

CHAPTER 7- PERPETUATING THE LIE

He remembered the insecurity in her face when she told him that the Guy-_Sully, that´s the name-_ had asked her to go way with him. She looked like a frightened little girl, her baby blue eyes searching for his as if asking him to say that this kind of thing was ok. That it was right. Every single part of him wanted to scream that it wasn´t. That she didn´t belong with Sully and one stupid boat. That her place was right there, by his side. He could remember that it was night and that they were somewhere creepy when they had this conversation, which only served to worsen his mood. He was going to lose her without even having the opportunity to really fight. Because despite of all his desire to tell her that it would be a mistake to leave, he couldn´t do so. Because the guy named Sully actually was making her happy. And that was what Seeley Booth wanted the most. For Temperance be happy. Sure, he wanted this happiness by his side, but if they couldn´t, then he would sure as hell give his blessing for that damn boat trip. He remembered almost chocking in his own words as he finally spoke, telling her that she should go. She was actually surprised with his answer, he reminded that, and maybe….a little disappointed. He was sure he had heard some disappointment in her voice. He had braced himself the moment he said that yes, it would be good for her, because it would be terrible for him. How could he ever be back to work without his one and only partner? He didn´t want another person working by his side. And yet, he had told her to go, because he knew she could use some freedom in her life, some fun. What was killing him was that he wasn´t the one offering it to her.

His mind wandered for a moment with pure sadness, reliving every single moment of pure fear of losing her, until suddenly he saw the boat sailing. Without her. She was ashore, watching as the Sully guy disappeared from vision, and he felt as whooping as she stood there. He hadn´t lost her. He remembered placing his arms in her shoulders and giving her a bright smile, taking her away for a nice breakfast, trying to comfort her without letting her know that he was doing so. She was never a woman who liked to be comforted very often. She liked to be in control and deal with her problems all by her self. And Seeley had the distinct feeling that he loved and admired her for that. He could probably had spent a lot of time thinking about this little episode and asking himself how crazy he was for almost losing her because of pure fear of telling her how he felt, but she jumped in her chair and opened her eyes, her cheeks turning slightly pink as realization came to her face, telling that she had nodded off. He smiled at temperance slightly, and before he could shut his mouth, it was moving, the question that he had always wanted to ask becoming alive.

" Why hadn´t you left with Sully?" He mentally kicked himself for his lack of control or ability to be quiet, but the memory was still too fresh in his memory to let it go, the fear of never seeing her again because she w as in a stupid boat heading to only God knew where reverberating in his chest. Temperance blinked in confusion for a second, sleep still in her eyes as she tried to process his question, until realization kicked in. He was remembering more. She came closer and held his hand again, a sweet smile forming across her face.

" You are really remembering things. You´ve managed to even remember of Sully! Booth, this is great. You are getting better." _Now, the big problem will come when he finally remember that we are not a real couple. I honestly hope that he doesn´t despise me after that._ He returned the smile, seeming actually pleased with himself, which made Brennan full of hope. His mood was improving too.

" I suppose. But you still hadn´t answered my question. Why did you stay?" He knew that the most smart thing was not to ask her about it. He could feel that just by looking at her, and by the few he could remember about that woman. She was complicated and did not like people meddling in her life. But good Lord, how much he wanted to hear that she had stayed because of him. Even if it was a small part of her reasons, he wanted to be it. Because Booth knew now that he himself could never leave if it wasn´t with temperance, with or without amnesia. It was primal. She was his, and he was hers. He just knew it. Temperance fussed for a while, and he pressed his fingers at hers, his gaze warm at her as if telling her that it was of.

" I couldn´t…I couldn´t just leave my life here and go Lord knows where. just sail until caribbean. I couldn´t leave everything that I´ve built in my life for a man and a boat." _But mostly, I couldn´t leave you._ She was scared by her own thoughts. Many times she had thought about her reasons for not leaving with Timothy Sullivan, and while a good part of her knew that she would go actually crazy without her beloved work at the Jeffersonian, a much bigger part would scream telling her to stop lying and just face it. She could not stay away from seeley Booth. He was the main reason. She felt home wherever he was. She sometimes was sure that if such a proposal had came of Booth´s mouth, she would not think twice. But like hell she was ever going to admit it outloud.

Booth stared intently at her, and what he saw in her eyes made him a very pleased man. There it was. Hidden, unsaid, but real. She wanted to stay near him as much as he wanted to stay near her. He thanked God for his reading people skills as watching the flushed color in her face as she tried to explain herself, and the twinkle in her eyes as she stared back. And it was all he needed to see to know that he was cherished. That he was important.

" I´m glad you didn´t leave, temperance." And he really was. He was ready to keep up with the conversation when the already familiar face of his neurologist appeared opening the door, and he braced himself for another session of exams. He only wished that his memory would come back in a sudden jolt. Temperance smiled at the approaching doctor, but Booth could feel the tension taking over her. And he suddenly imagined how it must feel to be in her place._To be with a forgetful, useless boyfriend at a hospital room. Way to go, Seeley. You really, really need to start to remember. Not only this little flashbacks._

" Good afternoon, mr. Booth. Ready for some tests?" He wanted to say no, he wasn´t. he hated those tests. It only served to show him how messed up his head and his life were. But he felt she silk of her skin caressing his hands, and knew he was defeated. So, he nodded as the doctor started by taking his vitals and starting a full physicall examination, proceeding with the questions about his welfare and his memories, which was king of depressing. Physically, he was good, to be true. His head had stopped throbbing and he no longer felt numb and dazed by the drugs in his system. Only his blood pressure kept a little high, but the doctor was fast to assure him that it would gradually come back to a normal number. Temperance informed the doctor of the amount of flashbacks he kept having, and dr. Irving smiled encouragingly, and Booth caught himself returning it. It had to be good, right? The neurologist finally seemed satisfied, and turned to the couple holding hands in front of him. Brennan suddenly realized that they seemed to be doing this a lot, this amount of physical contact. She knew that she should avoid it the maximum she could, for it was like an addiction to be touched by Seeley Booth. It would only worsen their already very complicated relationship. But damn, she had missed his touch. In the past, she would ususally complain even of his hand on the small of her back trying to guide her way. But oh, now she missed that small touch. So, she let his fingers entwine with hers, even thought she knew that it was like telling him that yes, they were completely together. That she was perpetuating the lie.

" Well, mr. Booth, I´m pleased to inform you that I don´t think it´s necessary to keep you here in the hospital for much more than this night for observation. Tomorrow you can very well be discharged and continue your treatment as an ambulatorial patient." Two diffrenet voices spoke in unison at that peace of information.

" _What?"_

Deep down, Brennan knew that this would happen on that day. There was no medical reason for Booth to stay in the hospital. He was recovering well, his body was getting stronger, he was no longer in pain and, apart from the amnesia situation, one could say that he was in perfect health._ Except for the part where he doesn´t remember five years of his life. And the part where he thinks that we are a couple._ She knew that she should just celebrate this step at Booth´s recovery. A few days ago, there was nothing in the world that she wanted more than seeing Booth being released from the hospital and going home. But that was before the mess their lives had turned into. How she was supposed to act around Booth as his girlfriend out of the hospitalar environment? She looked at Booth, noticing that he looked as scared as her, if not more. That alone gave her some strength to kept her façade. He was frightened.

" But…but…what about my amnesia? I still don´t remember things! What Am I going to do outside?" He hated the fear that he could hear at his own voice, but it was impossible to hide it. Part of him was glad that the doctor considered him well enough to go home, of course. But then, the simple question_ Where is home?_ Kicked in. Not to mention the rest of the world, five years older than what he remembered. With people he had met and now forgot, with a job that he is still not sure about it, because damn, what if he sucked with this amnesia situation? What if he was no more capable of getting the bad guy? He never thought that the world outside those walls could be so scaring, but hell, it was. It was a unknown place for him now. He squeezed his fingers with temperance´s, calming down a beat as she squeezed back and sat down by his side on the bed, as if trying to give him some comfort with her presence. Dr. Irving smiled with compassion at the couple, a calm and contained expression at his face.

" I understand that it must be disturbing to go back to the outside world with your condition, Mr. Booth. But retrograde amnesia can very well be treated and accompanied ambulatorialy. You´ll keep having medical appointments with me at least one a week, until all of this is solved. Plus, keep in mind that you are already remembering a lot of things, which is great news. Getting out of the hospital will possibly help you even more, for you´ll be able to go to places you´re familiar with, like your house, your work, places that you are used to go like restaurants, parks and so on. These things will certainly stimulate your memory. Don´t worry so much about it, Mr Booth. I know that I´m asking you a lot and that´s hard to not be worried, but I have confidence that soon enough you´ll be remembering your entire life." Booth could see some sense at the doctor´s words, but still, he felt as he could freak out at any minute by now. _How am I supposed to go to places I used to if I don´t remember them:_ But then, it struck him. He had Temperance for that. At least, he hoped so.

" will you stay with me? When I get out, I mean." How could she ever, ever say no to that look he was giving her? She had actually planned to stay at Booth´s for as long as it was needed since the day he was diagnosed. She was ready to face the post op needs, the recovery, all by his side. It was the plan in the first place. But now…she was going to do it as his girlfriend. And she honestly didn´t know if she was up to the task. The thought of keeping lying to him was giving her repulse. It wasn´t fair to either of them. Dr. Irving seemed to catch her state of spirit, and made as gesture to the door while speaking.

" Dr. Brennan, may I have a moment with you outside, please? No need to fret about it, Mr. Booth. I´ll just give her some instructions regarding your welfare. It´s no big deal." Before he could retort with something, Brennan was out of the bedroom, feeling her breathing fast and shallow and her heart jumping like crazy. This was getting too far. She looked to the calm appearance of the doctor in the corridor, a sudden wish of kicking him taking over.

" _I can´t do this anymore. I can´t let Booth get out of this place with equivocated ideas about us._ It´s not fair to him, and it´s certainly not fair to me either. Booth is my partner, my best friend. We just don´t lie to each other. Never. How am I supposed to act like his girlfriend for Lord knows how long? It´s both emotionally and physically impossible. He will ask for things that I cannot give him." _Because Lord knows that I can´t keep kissing him like I did. Or else, I will be in big, enormous trouble for real. It was too much enjoyable for our own good; what if he asks for more? I never thought that if Booth would ask for sex with me I would say no, but this way it just seems wrong. He´s thinking something that´s not true. And it means everything to Booth, I just know it._ She felt her eyes wavering and her hands shaking. Actually, all her body was trembling.

" It´s up to you, dr. Brennan. I cannot tell you what to do regarding this confabulation situation anymore. It´s a far too delicate issue for me, who doesn´t know mr Booth like you do, give a formed opinion. You´ll have to decide what you think it could be more damaging right now. If for him to face the real world again knowing already all the true or having this illusion. I do not dare to say more about it. You are the person who knows him the most, for what I can see. What thing you think would hurt him more right now?" It wasn´t fair, leaving for her to decide, but Brennan also knew that it would have been highly unprofessional from the neurologist to give a formulated opinion. But oh, for the first time in her life, she wished that there was someone to tell her what to do. She was so afraid of hurting the person she secretively cherished the most in the world. She knew that he, they, would get hurt soon or later. The question was, was she ready to hurt Seeley Booth? To take the only comfort that he seemed to be having for now. If she told him their actual relationship, she just knew that he would shut her down for lying so much. And he couldn´t be alone right now. Not when he had just been released of a hospital after a delicate surgery. Sure, other people could stay with him. She knew that every single person of her team would offer it in no time. Maybe it would be even Better if Cam, for instance, did so, for Booth actually remembered her. But she really felt she owned Booth more than just stepping away in such a moment. And that was why she just nodded seriously to the doctor and got back to the room silently, her head formed as he smiled at her. She forced a smile back.

" So… I hope he was telling you to treat me like a king. I could use some pampering, I guess." She fought back the urge to cry and rolled her eyes, he just spoke like her old Booth. And she freaked out immediately by her own use of the possessive pronom._My Booth. Since when I feel like he´s mine?_

" Don´t dream too much, Booth. I´m not the kind of woman who was born to serve a man." _At least this is true._ " plus, I bet you would go crazy if I tried to do everything for you. You are a very active man." His eyes were so warm as he gazed at her, that damn charm smile making her melt inside.

" True. But I like to be spoiled now and then. Specially by my beautiful girlfriend." _Man, I must be so whipped by her. Only this could explain how I manage to feel and act that way around her._ She actually smiled at his praise, which gave him the nerve to ask what he was really wanting to. " Temperance…about us…you staying with me and all. Our sleeping arrangements. I´m guessing that we never…_did it. You know.`cause I would remember that. i know i would._" He raised his eyebrows wishing for her to understand his cue, the prude catholic in him actually blushing at this line of questioning. Surprisingly, she let out a small laughter as she seated again by his side.

" Are we talking about sex, Booth?"

TBC…

So…Booth and the outside world…wanna see this happen. Press the review bottom and tell me!


	8. Chapter 8

A.N: I don´t own the amazing show called Bones!

CHAPTER 8- GOING HOME

" Huh?" Booth felt completely awkward and out of place as she gave him a cat smile, clearly amused by his embarrassment._ But Heck, I´m a gentleman. And gentlemen do not talk about it._ But he really needed to know. He honestly doesn´t believe that he had any kind of further intimacy with temperance, because in his gut he knows that such a moment would be absolutely _unforgettable._ With or without amnesia at stake. Brennan ´s smile got bigger if it was even possible as she repeated the question like she was speaking to a five years old.

" Sex, Booth. Are we talking about sex here? You are asking me if we had intercourse, right?" She knows that she should try to behave, but it´s too good to let it go. He just looks like her normal Seeley Booth, the one with so many reservations when it came about talking about something so natural. He fidgets and avert his eyes, seeming very focused on his own sheet.

" Do you have to keep saying the word sex?" He hated using it, and somehow he knows that it´s a polemical issue when it comes about it and temperance Brennan. That woman was shameless, he just could tell.

" And do you have to avoid it?" She teases, and something in her eyes make something stir inside him. Maybe it´s the twinkle she gets when she is having fun. Maybe it´s just the amazing blue, like there were two pools looking at him. But regardless of the reason, he feels alive, more than he has since he had woken up. He considers pulling her closer and kissing her senseless, but right when he´s ready to do it, she starts talking, a little serious this time. " We never slept together." _At least this is true. But Lord help me, because now here comes the lie._ She wished she could just stop with that particular statement and let it be, but she knows that it will not do. Booth will try and prod at his own shy way, because as a boyfriend, he deserves this answer. After all, a couple have sex. At least a normal one. The thing is, she is starting to realize that when it comes to her and Booth, things would be never normal. No matter what time or situation. So, she proceeds, making up things as her mind works fiercily. " We… started dating just a few while ago. We had a lot of reservations, because we work together and we are, first of all, best friends. And we didn´t want to ruin that. So, we decided to take things slowly." She cannot believe she´s saying that, because, honestly, she does not believe in a single word of what is coming out of her mouth. She does not believe in taking things slow. She´s a woman of attitude , not one to just wait things happen. She always takes the leadership. And now, there she is, lying shamelessly to the person she cares most in this world, and in her mind she keeps repeating that this is for his own good. She only hopes that Booth will understand that when he finds out. Right now, he seems to be buying it. Booth gave her a small smile and squeezes her hand, now doing what he wanted to do at first place. He pulls her closer.

" very wise of us. I wouldn´t want to ruin anything between us." Booth slowly lifted his free hand in order to caress her face, trying to memorize all of her fine and delicate traces, trying to build a memory. One that he wont forget. " So…since we had never… been together…I would like to know about…our sleeping arrangements. I mean…" he fights the heat that is menacing to spread all over his face, silently cursing the prude man inside him. Why do things have to be this hard? " I don´t want to force you into anything, I don´t want you to feel obligated to be near me if you don´t feel like it. Lord knows that I´m failing you in so many things alredy to have the nerve to demand anything. But if you may…I would like to you to be with me. As sleeping in the same bed. I would feel better near you. Safer." He whispers the last word, slightly embarrassed by admitting that yes, he feels insecure and afraid. But heck, he was getting out of that damn hospital without a single memory of those last five years. He does not remembers a thing, both is his life and the rest of the world. He does not even remember who the president is, for crying out loud! It´s like being reborn, in a way, for everything is new. And he feels that all he has is temperance. And Parker. But even his boy is a complete stranger to him. Oh yes, he loves him. Deeply, fiercely. But he doesn´t have any recollection and it hurts like hell. He can only be thankful for having her, that amazing woman who had stuck with him and that is capable of giving him at least pieces of his past. He somehow know that this only happens because she is one of the most important things in his life.

" I´ll stay and sleep whatever you need me, Booth. You know I will." She is completely sincere. Despite the fact that actually sharing abed with him was completely out of her plans, she can´t and wont come up with an excuse, because she knows he needs her. And she will provide whatever she can. She almost jumps when he cups he r face exactly like he had before, when they had kissed. If there was a way out, she would take it, but how is she supposed to do it without giving any suspections? So, she closes her eyes as she feels his mouth approaching, and suppresses a small moan as he licks her bottom lip slowly. And the last thing she thinks before getting completely lost on that kiss is that she knows that their lives will never be the same. The future had came.

(----------------------------------)

He is happy to see that he still lives in the same place from five years ago. At least he knows where are the rooms and so on. It would be way embarrassing not knowing where to go in his own place and having to ask Temperance for directions. So, he smiles happily at her as she takes the key and opens the door, and Booth almost adopt a fighting position when hearing the welcoming screams that came from inside. He looked at his living room in utter amazement, feeling slightly reassured by realizing that Temperance doesn´t seem concerned at all. Actually, she looks pleased. And he starts to feel the same way when realizing the faces that compliment him as he makes his entrance. His squints, as the woman named Angela had called themselves Back at the hospital. There is Cam, the woman he once had loved and now was apparently a very good friend. There is Jack Hodgins, and he knows that they are good pals. He felt at easy at once since the first time the man had directed to him. And is the twelve years old looking sweets, seeming a lot less scared than the last time he had seem him. Somehow he knows that hospitals freaks the kid out. His heart skips a beat as he seems the small boy that appears from hiding behind Angela, and in no time Parker is in his arms, his blonde curls bouncing as he runs to his daddy.

Booth raises his boy on the air, ignoring Temperance´s complaints about him doing physical effort. But he couldn´t care less, because his son is right there kissing his face, his small hands embracing his neck. He looks at Temperance and gives her his boyish charm smile, and she is immediately disarmed.

" So, stud. Did you like our little welcoming surprise? All my idea, I might add." The woman named Angela gives him a full megawatts smile, and all he can do is smile back. She is an affectional, caring woman, and it´s just impossible not to like her. She´s a little funny and has a peculiar vocabulary and remarks, but he likes her. And he can tell that so does Temperance. And that alone is enough for him.

" yes, Angela. Thank you very much. Especially for getting this one here." He kisses Parker and starts to tickle him, and again, his mind wonders off.

It´s Christmas again. But it´s a different one. Cam is not there, and there are two other men he does not remember. He is upset, he just feels it, because somehow they managed to get themselves locked inside the laboratory. Temperance seems completely out of the Christmas spirit, for one, and all he can think about is to try and cheer her up. And there was parker, outside, looking at him and laughing as all he wants to do is to crash the glass that is separating them to hug his boy. And then, they are all exchanging gifts, except for Temperance, and all he can think is about how much he wanted her to participate. And that is when it comes to him._ Her parents left her on Christmas._

" Daddy, are you ok?" Parker´s child voice brings him back to real and present world, and he gives temperance a pained look, feeling all of a sudden her sadness when she had told him that. that her parents had desterted her.

" I´m fine, buddy." He places his son on the floor and looks at Brennan in utter and confused surprise, as she surveys him with caution. She seems to have a sixth sense when it comes about realizing he is remembering something. " What did your parents do to you?" He can´t help but feel angry, because he knows somehow that they had failed her. And that it had turned her world upside down.

She honestly couldn´t have seen this one coming._Of all the memories he could have…_ just by looking at him she knows that he´s angry by what happened. Always the alpha male, the protective man and friend, even when he cannot exactly place things on their correct place. Brennan realizes that Angela is looking at him with apprehension, and she realizes that her friend is afraid that she might break down again. Parker is looking at the adults in curiosity, and she gives the boy a small smile to reassure him.

" It´s a long story, Booth. We can talk about it later." The rest of the team is getting closer, and Brennan feels like she could crawl into a ball and disappear. So not the place and time. Booth don´t seen keen to let it go, and she takes his hand in hers, lacing their fingers. A movement that does not goes missing by the always sharp eyes of Angela Montenegro. Or the rest of the team, for what it looks like, since Cam is giving her an amused look, Jack is smiling slyly, and sweets seems ready for one of his psychologic babble. She pretends she haven´t noticed any of this. It´s easier that way.

" Fine. But I´ll definitely discuss it. I know they hurt you. I just do." He dropped the subject for now, saying hello to the people that were coming,dividing his attention between then and Parker, who kept demanding his words. The little boy had missed his father for sure.

Brennan used that time to let go of his hand, hoping that with that actions that maybe the funny looks and possible comments would stop. But no such luck, she realized by the time she looked at Sweets. The psychologist stood by her side with a resolute expression at his face, as if telling her that there w as no escaping. She sighed tiredly and waited for the attack.

" So, dr Brennan…how are things?" She wasn´t fooled by his innocent expression, knowing for sure what he meant. He wasn´t exactly subtle.

" As good as we can, dr. sweets. Why do you ask?" She really, really wasn´t up for a therapy session and Sweets´s crazy ideas about hers and Booth´s relationship. Booth was right in his opinion, the kid could be annoying.

" well, you and agent Booth are definitely under a lot of stress. Which is very understendeable , given his amnesia status. Plus" The young therapist had at least the thought of lowering his voice. " There´s all this you two are now dating thing. I mean…you´ve got to be having issues with that. Tricking Booth. This lying thing isn´t like you at all, dr. Brennan. You are way too honest for that. You have high principles." Brennan felt her chest tightening by Sweets words, because he was nailing the problem on it´s core. Lying to Booth. It was like picking a well hidden and angry monster, she realized as her eyes menaced to fill with tears and her voice failed. But she wouldn´t let sweets notice that. She had already broken down once, and she´s not willing to let that happen anytime soon again. So, she puts up her brave face and obligues her eyes to stop wavering.

" I don´t see what the problem is. I´m just doing what I have to do as Booth´s friend." She wishes she could believe in that. A while ago, she would. But after the last days, after kissing him so deeply and her understanding exactly how important Seeley Booth is in her life. She knows that her messed feelings are far from " just friends". She wishes she could go back in time, so she could be more careful. Sweets just raised his eyebrows and makes a skeptical expression.

" Oh, c´mon, Dr. Brennan. I know a thing or two about you and your dynamics with agent Booth by now. These last two years had shown me a lot. And it´s very clear to me that you are utterly uncomfortable with this situation. Which is completely normal, by the way." Brennan maintains her expression as hard as stone, doing her best to not show any emotion. She is not ready to talk about it at all. She can hardly look at herself in the mirror right now, let alone face her actions and it´s possible consequences. Sweets scrutinizes her face and gazes directly at her eyes, and she supposes that somehow she shows her real state, as well as her completely lack of capacity to deal with it right now. So, he just sighs and back off, his voice calm and understanding. " Fine. But know that I´m available whenever you feel like talking about it. The same applies to Booth. If he needs to speak with me about his memory loss…I´m right here. Just be aware of that." She nods and accepts the fact that lance sweets had learnt how to read between the lines when it comes about her a long time ago. His really good at his field, and that´s something.

Parker is currently distracted with Angela, jack and some drawings that the woman is making to the boy, and Booth finds himself standing against a wall , realizing that his eyes could go anywhere but would always go back to wherever temperance was. It was like a new kind of addiction. He couldn´t help it. He feels someone approaching, and looks to meet cam´s eyes, a smile at her face as she follows his eyes and realizes where they are resting.

" How are you holding up, big man?" Camille Saroyan is no fool. She had always sensed, even when she and Booth were back together for a while, that there was something about Brennan that even Booth could not define by the time. Something that pulled him in the anthropologist´s direction. She actually has the strong theory that this is why Booth is facing the confabulating situation. Because he had such strong feelings about that woman, and didn´t know how to venture them, that it just kinda of…overflowed. And despite all the dangers that may come with this lie, she feels that it´s for the best, for both of them. They are complicated people. But something good can definitely come up of that. She only feels more reassured by watching Booth´s eyes lingering on temperance Brennan.

" I´m fine, I guess. I´ll be all right. Especially once I really remember everything. Temperance says that it will happen soon. What do you think as a doctor?" He can´t help but feel a little anxious as he watches cam considering his question. He knows that she is a very capable professional, and holds her opinion highly. So, when her smile only gets larger, he breathes with relief.

" I´ll have to agree with dr. Brennan. She told me about your flashbacks. It´s a great improvement, Booth. And definitely a positive sign." She can feel his relieve, and decides to prod a little, because even with all the mess in his life, he seems genuinely happy. " You can avert your eyes of her for a moment, you know that, right? She´s not going anywhere. But I´m guessing you already know that." He gives her his charm smile, the one that no one can resist, friend or girlfriend, as he bashfully taked his eyes out of her, ashamed of getting caught.

" yeah. I know. She has been great._She is great._" He laughs at his own awe at that woman, realizing that cam is amused herself. " Have I always been that way around her?" Camille Saroyan gazes at him seriously, and she knows that she´s not telling any lie at all with her words.

" If you mean having it bad for her, than yes. More than you will never know."

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Temperance closes the door as their friends go away, watching as Booth hugs Parker one last time before Cam takes him by her hand and promises to take good care of him until they arrive at rebecca´s. For a moment they stood still, her eyes set on the closed door, until he touches her shoulder making her turn around gently.

" I guess that is only you and me now, huh?"

TBC…

You know the drill…reviews make my day!


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9- INSECURITY

She gave him a small smile while moving, allowing his arm to embrace her shoulders, even thought all that proximity was making her completely out of balance. But despite that, she felt somewhat relieved that it was just the two of them now. She felt as if she had just passed their first big test, with all the team there and she having to pretend they were together. She was not sure she could have stand their looks for much longer. It was making her feel like a big treacherous. Tricking, deceiving, lying to the person that she cared most in the world. that was a hard task, much harder than she had ever anticipated. Booth looked at her with such a confidence, as if she was the only one he could trust right now. She had felt his eyes following her all the time, everywhere. And despite it was kind of endearing , it was also frightening her beyond belief. Never someone had put so much faith at her.

" You should rest now. It´s late." It was true, the night had came a long time ago, and she knew that Booth had to be tired. There were too many emotions for just one day, and herself was feeling exhausted. She realized that Booth had stopped in a corner of his living room, his arm still around her, and she turned to see what he was looking at. His bookshelf. He lifted his hand and pulled one book, and she realized that it was one of hers, the one she had dedicated to him a few years ago.

" You are writer too. You didn´t say that to me." He opened the book and read her dedicatory, his boyish smile suddenly there, a face she recognized very well as his cocky one._At least I know now that his ego is intact._ " How flattering. I´m glad you thought about me even then, when we weren´t together yet. We weren´t, right?" He was almost sure of it, but his mind was playing so many tricks at him that he felt he had to ask. And it suddenly hit him again._ He knew nothing. Not a thing._ He didn´t know how they got together in the first place. He couldn´t recognize his apartment, the furniture completely different than the one he remembered. Parker had his own child room now, not a baby one, and he didn´t have a clue about how was it and where his son´s stuff were placed. He looked to the street and realized that it was different than what he had in mind. There were new stores, a bar, a small market. Nothing he could remind of. And there was this beautiful woman by his side, one that he already knew meant the world for him, and yet, he couldn´t tell the first thing about her. What did she like or disliked. Her fears and worries. Her life. Heck, he had just remembered that her family had left her a long time ago, and he couldn´t even tell why. Things started to look suddenly blurry as his breathing became way too fast for his own sake. That´s when temperance realized he was hyperventilating. " damn." He whispered as things started spinning and he struggled for air, trying to stay connected with her voice a s she leaded him slowly to the bedroom.

" Take it easy, Booth. Try to take long, slow breathes. You are just a little anxious, that´s all. You´ll be fine." He wished he could believe in that. But right now, all he could think was the things he was missing, things that happened and made him, her, all of them, who they were, and he couldn´t recall.

" I can´t. I just can´t, Temperance. It´s not fine." He felt himself being placed in a soft place, and her hands took his face , making him gaze directly at her blue eyes. It was all he could see now. Not the spinning world, not his unfamiliar apartment. Just her, and he felt her thumbs caressing his cheeks, the sweetest touch ever.

" You can do anything, Booth. Trust me. I know you far too well. Deep breathes. Don´t pass out on me. Just follow my voice and breathe. That´s it." Temperance never felt so nervous and helpless in her life. It was actually worst than watching him slipping into that damn coma. Because now she was looking at a truly broken and scared man, and never in her life she thought she would see Seeley Booth this lost. It was just not him. Her Booth was a secure, calm man. But then again, She somehow knew that all that panic was meant to happen soon or later. She was actually surprised to see how long Booth had endured. She was not sure if she could last the same amount of time is she was in his place. Being a person who loved to have a complete control in every single aspect of her life, she could see how frightening it was to suddenly forget everything. But it was not the time to conjectures. So, she continued whispering for him, soothing words that she never told for anyone before, her fingers caressing his face as she watched him focus on her eyes and slowly come back to normal. He took one last deep breathe and closed his eyes, reaching to her, his arms encircling her waist as he rested his forehead on her bosom.

" I´m sorry." His voice was small and shy, and she felt her chest tightening at his request. How could he still be asking for forgiveness when she was the one doing all the sins there? It was almost too much for her to bare. Almost. Because she knew she couldn´t back off now and leave him on his own. Not until he felt a little more secured and settled. So, she just gave him a large smile as she made him look again at her, her eyes gleaming with unshead tears as watching that man suffering.

" There´s nothing for you to be sorry about, Booth. I´ve already told you that. And it´s perfectly normal to feel anxiety at your condition. You just cannot succumb to despair. I know this is hard, but you have to be strong. I´m right here with you. And I´m not leaving. We are going through this together. Ok?" She didn´t even know from where she was taking all that speech, except that she was sure it was exactly what Booth would say to her. She was using his most cherished advice: She was listening to her heart. And she was amazed to see how it was capable of helping her to say the right thing. Booth gazed at her for a long time, as if trying to decide what to do, and she knew she ha d reached his goal when he smiled carefully at her.

" I´m glad you´re here, temperance. I really am." He wanted to say so much more to her, but looking at her eyes he could tell she was not ready to hear it. It still amazed him the way he could read her and foresee all her needs and thoughts. He supposed it was pure instinct what drove him. He could always trust at his gut.

" Try to relax, ok? Go sleep." He suddenly realized he was at his bed and that she was there with him exactly like he had asked at the hospital. He felt warm at the very thought, realizing that her hands were moving and picking at his shirt, pulling above his arms, and he raised them to let her undress him._ What an amazing feeling, having this gorgeous woman helping me to undress. I wish I was in better shape. I wish things were different so we could both enjoy. Maybe another time, soon._ He couldn´t believe he was thinking about it in such a delicate moment, but it was stronger than him. He supposed that he had dreamed about this moment for a long, long time.

Brennan honestly didn´t know what was getting into her to be so bold and careless, taking of his clothes as if it was the most natural thing for her to do. If it was another time, she would laugh at her own awkwardness and sudden prudeness, but right now, she felt unexpectedly shy and clumsy. She was undressing Seeley Booth. As his alleged girlfriend. She felt as if all the sexual tension built within the years was raising and screaming at her, and she realized that her hands were shaking slightly. Nevertheless, she proceeded her task, unbuttoning his pants and letting him do the rest of the job, until he was just in his plain boxers, seated helplessly in his bed, looking at her as if telling it was her time. Never in her life she thought she would feel ashamed of undressing in front of any man, especially of seeley Booth. It was a natural thing to do. Besides, Booth was her best friend, her partner, the person she trusted her life with. There was nothing to be ashamed. So, she grabbed her duffle bag containing her things, taking her sleeping clothes with her and slowly started to remove her own shirt and pants, realizing that Booth´s eyes were following every movement. It was actually arousing, and in another time she would just give in to her body´s screams and enjoy that unique moment. But not with Booth like this. Not with him having the wrong ideas about their relationship. If she was ever to be more intimate with Booth, she thought, it would be with both of them perfectly aware of where they stood.

She was finally ready to go to bed, the tension so palpable that the air was heavy, and she carefully seated by his side, almost jumping when his hand placed in her knee, squeezing it lightly. She smiled faintly, still dizzy after the changing clothes situation, and he took his time to admire her. Brennan shifted, realizing that if things continued this way, she would soon no longer be able to keep it under control. So, she did what she naturally would do. She took the leadership and pulled him to a lying position, making sure that he was comfortable, that his head was well positioned against the pillows, feeling his terse muscles and softly massaging them. He gave her a happy sigh and pulled her closer, making her almost jump again at their closeness. There she was, with a shirtless Seeley Booth, herself using nothing more than a thin gown, laying against his chest and feeling his hands caress her belly. It was almost too much for her to take, and for a moment, she seriously considered giving up and kissing him senseless, just letting things be. He seemed to be thinking the same thing, and she was sure they were both lost. But somehow, seeley Booth still managed to be the savior of the day, stopping his ministrations all of a sudden and looking in apology at her, like a little boy caught stealing grandma´s cookies. He stared at her for a long minute, just taking into her features, until leaning into her and kissing her softly, his lips pressing against hers slowly.

" good night, Temperance." He prayed to God for strength into respecting that beautiful woman pressed against his body, asking for guidance to know when they time would come. An amazing, glorious time. He knew it would arrive eventually.

(--------------------------------------)

She was in a stage, and all he could do was to lay his eyes at her, as she sang with her rough voice, looking perfect and comfortable with the attention she was getting. All he could think was how amazing and talented she was, and how much he would like to hear her singing just for him someday. He was surrounded by people he now recognized as his team, all of them seeming to be having a great time. But he couldn´t care less. All his attention was at Temperance. Until he heard his name backwards, and something inside his mind told him to look. And what he saw scared the hell out of him. There was this strange woman, gun in hand, aiming directly at the woman he loved so deeply. He watched as if in slow motion as the gun fired and he looked in despair at Temperance, still oblivious at the stage.

" _No!" _His real voice mingled to the scream in hIs dream, and he raised from the bed in a jump, feeling cold sweat spreading all over his body. He was losing her . he looked around him frenetically, realizing with relief that she was up and gazing at him between worried and curious, and he was fast to take her into his arms, his breathing shallow and fast, his fingers trembling as they touched her carefully, making sure that she w as real and ok.

" booth, what is it? What´s wrong?" She studied his fearful expression carefully, feeling her body being squeezed in his embrace, as if he was afraid that, by letting her go, she would vanish. He gazed at her looking like a lost little boy, his brow eyes wide open and full of despair.

" You were singing for us. It was so beautiful. And then, there was this crazy woman pointing a gun at you, and she shot. And…I froze. There was nothing I could do, and I was so freaking scared, because I thought I was losing you. I couldn´t do anything to prevent it." He was still amazed by the power of his emotions by a single dream and feeling of losing her. It was as if the world stopped making any sense. He realized that he was covered in cold sweat. Temperance looked at him for what looked like forever, as if deciding what to say, finally moving of his arms a little, so she could face him completely. She pressed her hands by his chest, realizing how fast his heart was beating, and suddenly remembered his blood pressure. Dr. Irving was categorical about the care they should have about it.

" It´s all right, Booth. You had another memory, but you didn´t quite catch the end of it. You see…" She let her index finger poke his chest somewhat accusingly, her blue eyes gleaming in the dark room. " You took that stupid bullet in my place. You didn´t freeze at all. You saved my life. Although I may never forgive you for that, because I could very well have taken the bullet myself. I don´t need anyone to protect me. Plus, it was after that situation that you was pronounced dead for two weeks. You let me feeling guilty about what happened for all this time." It was the first time she was admitting that outloud. But heck, those were the worst weeks of her life, thinking that Booth was gone forever. Thinking about all the things that she would like to tell him but couldn´t. being sure that she had just lost the person that meant the world for her, even if she had trouble to admit that even to herself. But the two weeks that she thought she would never have Seeley Booth were her own conception of hell. And still, she pretended it was nothing. She said she could compartimentalize. Just now she was starting to realize that she couldn´t. It took another life threatening situation for her to find out.

" You were angry because I took the bullet for you?" He blinked several times, thinking about what an unusual woman he had in front of him. Now he could understand her punching on the fake funeral a lot better. She was furious beyond belief. A sudden memory of him naked in the bathroom and she entering inside to fight with him came to his mind, and he couldn´t help but smile. " You barged in my bathroom on that day to give me a piece of your mind. Right?" She laughed too, feeling his fingers caressing her hair gingerly, and moved them both against the pillows, ready to go back sleeping. His heart seemed a lot calmer now.

" yes, I did. And I will never be sorry for that. It was quite a view if you ask my opinion. The great Seeley Booth completely out of guard." She felt calmer and much less worried about his heart and pressure when he laughed along, and started asking herself when exactly it had became so important to make Booth laugh.

(-----------------------------------------)

" Why can´t I drive?" Booth whined as placing himself by Temperance´s side, and she just rolled her eyes at this childish behavior, starting the engine at the same time.

" because you have just been released from a hospital after a major brain surgery, Booth. Driving is still not safe for you. How many times do I have to repeat it?" She was actually very pleased with this situation, for she was finally allowed to drive his oh so precious car. He had refused vehemently to ride in her own car, saying it was for girls._I think I will never understand the relationship between men and cars. There´s got to have an anthropological meaning for that._

" But I´m fine! Never been better." _Yeah, seeley. Except for the fact that you don´t remember anything from the past five years._ Temperance seemed to think the same thing, just raising her eyebrows at him and keeping looking to the road. She was already making a big concession by letting Booth accompany her to the Jeffersonian. He should be at home, resting, until Monday, when he would have to report at the FBI headquarters. But That man was tough in a fight, and she finally acquiesced with his will to go with her for a quick work at the institute. he had used his secret weapon: His lack of memory. He had said to her that he might remember more if he saw part of his work environment. And being a woman of science and logic, she couldn´t disagree with that. So, she took a deep breath and told Booth to get ready and get in the car, already feeling sorry two minutes later, when he had started to mumble about how he should be the one driving. Some things never changed, indeed.

TBC…

Want to see how it goes at the institute? Plus, we´ll have more Parker next... Let me know by pressing the review bottom!


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